Chelsea Kirchoff

Hummingbird Heartbeat.

2012-01-17T12:06:00.007-05:00

Shelby bought me this really cool book from the MoMA. It's a skywriting journal and it has pages with clouds, the sky, & vast landscapes and they're all by this photo guy (whose name is slipping my mind because I just woke up) and you can draw all over the pages. This is my first drawing. I feel like I can't just draw whatever in this book; it has to be AWESOME. This will be a challenge. More to come.

Les Miserables.

2012-01-06T15:51:00.002-05:00

I drew this on a post-it note and it is inspired by this version of Empty Chairs at Empty Tables. However, the actual piece is derived from the ghost(s) in the song. I'm coming around and drawing more. We all have our dry spells.

Inspiration.

2012-01-05T08:16:00.001-05:00

I've got a piece I'm posting tomorrow, but in the mean time, here are some inspiring things. I came across this Joker picture on my friend Scott's tumblr (and obviously I go way back with the JOKER) and I came across this Aubrey Beardsley piece entitled Peacock Skirt in a compilation book about art over the ages. I like it a lot.

Holy 2011.

2011-12-31T23:00:00.007-05:00

2011 Highlights:
- Playing hide & seek and building a fort out of sheets with MB and BC.
- All the jamba juice I consumed.
- Buffy marathons.
- My birthday and meeting Jason Segel.
- X Factor (Matt fulfilling his dream of seeing Cheryl Cole and telling her he loved her and me getting dehydrated and having the world's worst tan line on my chest. Also: Surviving THE RAPTURE).
- Jason getting the Red Wings tattoo I drew for him.
- The little X and seeing Brother Chan graduate from high school.
- Getting my Harry Potter chapter stars tattoo.
- Working Cranbrook with my best friend and our cohorts: Jill and Proma; being bullies at the zoo on the bus.
- Seeing Sia/Ximena, Katy Perry, Britney Spears, and Nicki Minaj .
- Going to Harry Potter world for the first time, having butterbeer, AND seeing the theatrical conclusion to the world's greatest series while crying so much and so hard that my eyes were burning for hours afterwards.
- Going to New York City and surviving Hurricane Irene.
- Having a back to back Harry Potter marathon-turned-wrestling and seeing HP7 at the IMAX in 3D while enjoying treats from Harry Potter world that we snuck in.
- Seeing Real Steel in theatres...finally.
- Being invited for shenanigans at Betsy's cabin with a cameo by 2 Michael Myers and a near drowning incident.
- Haunted housing in A2 and Christmas music starting that night.
- Sib seshing with Shelby and the Riopelle brothers.
- Convincing Matt not to be a pirate & trick or treating with him and Betsy.
- Seeing Russell Brand do his stand up live and having my dreams come true when he kissed me on the lips (still the best moment of the year; hands down). Then I died.
- NYC with Betsy for Anderson Cooper, a run in with Hugh, asking Angelina Jolie a question, staying in a swanky apartment, going to the red carpet premiere, and being in NYC during Christmas time while having perfect weather.
- The Secret Santa party and my amazing gifts from my Secret Santa :)
- Jeremy and Rachel's constant support and their Christmas gift to me.
- All the pizza I ate.
- Playing games a lot lately despite the fact that I'm not doing well at them.
- Russell Brand's divorce.
So, as 2011 ends, 2012 will be spent pursuing him. I spent this year getting closer to the people that were already in my life and weeding out the ones that didn't belong. I read this quote that said: "It's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years" and my years are bursting. 2012 IS CARPE DIEM YEAR. It's also my golden birthday so there's no way this won't be a magical year. I'm happy with where I am and hopeful about where I'm going. Let's look back on the year, but look forward to what is coming. After all, we can't #blameiton2011 anymore.

The Best Day of 2011 OR How I Kissed Russell Brand.

2011-11-17T11:22:00.007-05:00

Russell Brand, is (even more so now) my biggest celebrity crush. If you go to the search bar on my blog and type in RUSSELL BRAND, you will find I mention him quite a few times. I can't help it; that accent, face, charm, luscious locks, intelligence, confidence, and personality; it's all so attractive to me. So when I found out he was coming to the EMU convocation center to do stand up; HOW could I POSSIBLY pass up this chance to see my crush when he's practically in my backyard? How often does Russell Brand come to Michigan? The anticipation had been building up for days. I started posting statuses on facebook about it 48 hours in advance right down to 55 minutes before the show started. The one I posted 55 minutes pre-show said, and I quote, "‎55 MINUTES UNTIL RUSSELL BRAND! IF I MEET HIM, IM KISSING HIM ON THE LIPS." LITTLE DID I KNOW; THAT WOULD BE NO EXAGGERATION. You know how you say things, but you don't ACTUALLY expect them to happen? That's what I thought. The AMAZING Betsy Hensley agreed to join me and we went. Prior to, we went out to eat with our best friends. I was feeling good, I felt as though I looked nice, and my excitement was building. Betsy and I had never been to a stand up show so we didn't know what to expect (and to be honest; I didn't expect him to be funny). He had 2 warm up acts. First was alright; second was horrible, but then it was time for RUSSELL BRAND. We were 23 rows back. I wanted to be closer, but when he came out on stage, I couldn't breathe. I got dizzy. Then he spoke and I was dying. Thank you, Betsy, for putting up with my fanaticism before and OBVIOUSLY after the show. He was onstage for over an hour and, believe it or not, he was actually funny and insightful. People don't give him enough credit. He spoke in his accent, but there were several times when he spoke like us and it was the weirdest thing to hear. Why is it we all sound like idiots when we do british accents, but when they sound like us it's flawless? I digress; he had mentioned that he was going to try to meet us in the foyer. I told Betsy we were gonna book it out of there before he even got off the stage. We got into the foyer and there were so many people waiting around, you couldn't move. If I tried to reach into my purse, my hand wouldn't have been coming out. There had to be 3-400 people just waiting around trying to meet him. It was unorganized and I knew my chances were slim, but we HAD to try. At this point, I texted Matt Benyo and said, "We are trying to meet Russell Brand right now." To which he said, "Good luck with that." And I followed with, "We're gonna do it and I'm gonna kiss him." At this moment, Betsy spotted him as he came up a flight of stairs. People started pushing and shoving and it was CHAOS. Betsy and I got pushed apart. Russell Brand was slowly moving through the crowd with a security guard in front and behind him. He was making his way to do a meet and greet (THAT I DIDNT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT) so he wasn't stopping; people kept randomly jumping in his way, but security would push them out. I had at least 2 rows of people in front of me, but I knew if I didn't get close enough now; it wasn't gonna happen. I weaseled my way near him and he was right within my reach when a guy cut in front of me and Russell put his arm around him to pose for a quick picture; NO SIR, YOU WILL NOT RUIN THIS FOR ME. I was right behind the guy and started poking Russell's bare upper arm/shoulder and saying, "Russell... Russell..." and he turned and looked me RIGHT IN THE EYES. Then, I started telling him how I read his books and how much his writing has influenced me and changed my way of thinking and how great he is (but as I'm saying all of this, I'm starting to get tears in my eyes because I was OVERWHELMED) and he said something along the lines of "You're lovely or that's so lovely" and then reached his hands out, grabbed my face, pulled me towards him, and KISSED ME ON THE LIPS!!! and I put my hands on his cheeks too. [Kim asked me if I asked him for a kiss; I did NOT. It happened naturally]. LET ME TELL YOU, he has soft, beautiful lips. It WAS NOT one of those "oh I meant to go for the cheek, but somehow it ended up on the lips". NO. This was a full fledged aim for the lips and they LOCKED. That single moment felt like it was in slow motion. It wasn't some quick peck either; it lasted a moment. Probably because he thought I was sincere and adorable or probably because I was about to cry. He then looked at me for a second and was ushered along by security. I had SUCH butterflies. I then stumbled back and started freaking out. Meltdown. I couldn't even control myself. I started screaming and barely held the tears back. When I got outside, I was jumping at least 4 feet off the ground and I just kept saying it over and over again. I guess it's more Russell Brand kissed me than me kissing him. He's the one that went in for the kiss. Maybe he kissed 100 other girls, but I was most certainly the first of the evening. It was so surreal. No, there aren't photos, but if you don't believe me, you probably shouldn't even be reading this. BETSY HENSLEY is my witness. How does this stuff happen to me? I don't know. This was FATE. This was some sort of WEIRD luck. I left on cloud 9 and I'm still there. I wish I could extract this memory from my mind and watch it in a pensieve. Imagine if you got to kiss a guy (or girl) you've had the BIGGEST crush on (and throw in the fact that they're a huge celebrity). I said I was going to kiss him jokingly. Obviously I wanted to, but, SERIOUSLY? If someone had told me two days ago or even 6 hours ago that I'd be locking lips with Russell Brand, I'd have punched them. I'd never have believed it, but here I am, 3 hours later smiling the biggest smile in the world, feeling amazing and confident, and realizing how random and awesome life can be when you least expect it. However, this has done NOTHING for me in terms of making me like him less; now I am head over heels for Russell Brand.

Hands down, one of the best nights of my life.
Definitely the best night of this year.

And that, my friends, is how I kissed Katy Perry's husband.

This photo is why I couldn't get a picture of us kissing. This was after we left and after his meet and greet. Do you see how insane it was?

Brad Pitt.

2011-11-13T02:01:00.003-05:00

Made a birthday card for my dear friend, Betsy Hensley. Making cards is a competition these days, but luckily, I can hold my own. PLUS, my sister knew who it was. That's my test; if I show a family member and they know who it is; I'm gold.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2011-10-31T22:41:00.019-04:00

Halloween was a success! Here are the pumpkins Matt Benyo and I carved. I did the first two (well, Jack was kind of a collaboration); he did the last two. My favorite was the Nosferatu I made. For Halloween, I painted my costume and went Trick Or Treating with a Panda and Bob Simms from Halloween. Bob got pudding; we did not. I got a lot of Whoppers (worst candy ever), but faired well overall. Who says you're too old to go Trick Or Treating? Naysayers; that's who. I hope everyone had a great Halloween; we did! Now to watch The Are You Afraid of the Dark movie: The Silver Sight! [Hipster Photo Cred: Matt Benyo]

Whip It.

2011-10-26T06:15:00.008-04:00

I know I'm 2 years late, but I saw Whip It (thanks Shelb). It was decent. I haven't drawn in a long time. I've had no motivation or inspiration to do so. I must be having a dry spell, but I was excited after I finished this drawing. It gave me hope; I haven't completely lost my touch. Ellen Page: pencil & acrylic.

Tattoo #3!

2011-10-19T03:45:00.009-04:00

WELL FRIENDS, I got my first HARRY POTTER TATTOO! I had planned on getting this on September 1st aka when Harry departs from Kings Cross, BUT at that time, Matt Benyo and I decided we would cover my arm with Henna and it turns out you can't tattoo over Henna so that was a sad day for me. I got the chapter stars from the book on my wrist. I love them! One of the stars hurt like whoa, but I got through it no prob. It was basically a tattoo party; Shelby got a fish and Sarah got a cat. I present my newest addition. This photo was taken by the lovely Shaya White.

Photo Party.

2011-10-18T01:27:00.002-04:00

I went to Briarwood Mall with my friend Justin to turn his computer in at the Apple Store. Little sister, Shelby, accompanied us. Upon entering the mall, I went to Abercrombie and sprayed Fierce all over which was a mistake because eventually the smell made me nauseous and that wasn't too Fierce. Then we were stuck in the Apple Store for a good hour and a half. Here is a fun photo of us. I don't like how my hair is always a ball of light in photos. Shelby and I almost look related:I remembered that after Matt Benyo, Nathan Bou, and I pulled our Harry Potter marathon and went to see it at the IMAX, we took photos! I like that I remembered it a month and a half later. Nate sent them to me like an angel. Look at me in my Muggle shirt. My hair looks nice. I only just remembered that it was styled for me by Matt Benyo after he ruined it by pouring water on my head. GOOD TIMES. Not.

Michael Jackson.

2011-10-17T02:29:00.007-04:00

I finally did some art after not doing any forever. I made this Michael Jackson card for my friend, Kim Raley. It was her birthday and this is a mixed media cut out.Then after the soiree at Kim Raley's, all of us cool kids went Halloween costume shopping and a lot of people have been telling me to dye my hair brown so I tried on a brown wig. I'm not sure if I should make the transition or not. Here is also a photo of me with an in-store hipster mannequin and me wearing a Teal Lady Gaga wig. Both photos taken with a hipster's HIPSTAMATIC app on their iphone.

Northern Nos.

2011-10-11T21:05:00.015-04:00

Friday REAL STEEL came out. You saw my head 4 times! I went Up North over the weekend with my frands. I got to kick back and stargaze. We watched Scream 4 and had a scare fest. It was funny because I got the girls to scare Matt with a Jason mask and Matt got Nate to scare me with a Michael Myers mask. GREAT MINDS. I posted that blog entry about not being scared for this month and it took less than a week for that to go out the window. The following day Matt Benyo threw me in the river and I was in a right foul mood. Don't let these photos fool you; I was the opposite of what I look like. That last one is from today with Shelby.I went to Briarwood Mall today with my friend Justin to get his computer checked out and we ran into two Sarah's we knew. I also tried Pinkberry for the first time and it was like a party in my mouth. While Jamba Juice reigns supreme on the smoothie front, Pinkberry takes the cake for frozen yogurt; HANDS DOWN. Here is a picture I drew on the ipad2. It's NOSFERATU. Tis the season!

The 50's.

2011-10-06T09:07:00.006-04:00

This drawing is based off of a photo of two teachers I found in my grandpa's high school yearbook from 1956. It's weird looking at the seniors in his yearbook. They don't look like seniors today; they look much older. I can only imagine what the 50's must've been like. I always say that if I could go back in time, that's where I'd go, but I have this idealized version of the 1950's and it's probably not what it was like at all. Chuck Palahniuk said, "What you don't understand you can make mean anything."

Downtown.

2011-10-05T06:50:00.006-04:00

Last night, I went to Detroit to party. I hit up CIRCA for old times sake and got my usual half pitcher of coke. We then headed to the dorms and ended up in my friend Max's room and the room filled up quickly. I met some new faces; saw some old ones. It was a good time. Here's a self indulgent photo of myself while my friends smoked and look at this second one where I try to show off the purple in my bangs & look like a 5 year old. This is my new jacket from Target. It's not real leather, but it's the closest thing I could find to what I wanted because I've been on a hunt for ages. One by one, someone would leave to sleep and by 6 am, only 4 remained so I left. Next time I need a group shot. On the real, I need to do art instead of filler posts.

Hanging With Hugh.

2011-10-04T09:47:00.004-04:00

So, Nate informed me that Hugh Jackman was on Regis & Kelly this morning, but I don't have a TV so we skyped, he put it on, and we watched it together. Total coincidence that Nate was wearing an Aussie shirt and that I just so happened to snap the group photo when Hugh was giving Nate that look! REAL STEEL. Friday!

Halloween!

2011-10-03T11:06:00.012-04:00

TIS THE SEASON! I thought it would be a great idea to watch Halloween solo dolo in the middle of the night; it wasn't. After last year's traumatic events, I can't watch this movie without the ghost of my past haunting me. This year, however, I'm putting my foot down. No Michael Myers impostors will get me. As a matter of fact, I will be on my guard the whole month of October so friends, bring your worst. I'll be ready.

David Carradine.

2011-09-30T05:00:00.000-04:00

I decided to draw a portrait. I haven't done one in awhile. I have a bunch of portraits that I've torn out of magazines that have intrigued me in one way or another and this particular portrait of David Carradine shortly after his death grabbed me. Are there things I could've done differently? Sure, but with a pen, you embrace each of those marks you make because once you put them down there's no going back.

Pottermore.

2011-09-29T04:32:00.005-04:00

So, I got into Pottermore (along with Matt Benyo, Nathan Bou, and Brother Chan). We had been looking forward to our acceptance emails for some time now and they finally came Sunday. Of course I was at the DIA so I was clinging to my phone as Matt Benyo texted me about it. We were all being jerks to each other about the sorting and Matt kept saying I was going to get into Hufflepuff and I was all like NO WAY blah blah blah. Well, he got into Slytherin and I was really nervous about my sorting, but guess what, I GOT INTO SLYTHERIN TOO. Brother Chan got into Gryffindor and Nate got into Hufflepuff. I wanted either Slytherin or Gryffindor so that works for me. Monday and Tuesday I revolved my nights around the amount of time it took to brew potions because these potions work in real time. One of them took 95 minutes. 95 REAL LIFE MINUTES TO BREW. So, I'm sitting here like, alright I can go out, but I gotta be back in time to take care of this potion. It's ridiculous, but I have successfully brewed like 3 potions and earned house points. I want to duel Matt Benyo, but wizard duels are down. For those of you reading this that are feeling jealous; don't. That website sucks. It's broken almost all the time because so many people are trying to access it. Pretty much the only time it works is between 2 and 5 am (and it breaks then too). I think it's an interesting idea, but it needs to be fleshed out more. I was addicted it to it for the first couple days, but now I'm kinda meh about it. I think if everyone was into it, I'd be more into it. It's just not as fun after you get through all of the chapters and you're sitting there by yourself brewing potions.

DIA & JM!

2011-09-28T14:56:00.005-04:00

I was at the DIA on sunday. I got to draw on a table cloth and talk to people about CCS. It was a fun day. I pulled an all nighter though so I was dead by the time I got home, but that was okay too. I was the most excited about finally meeting one of my favorite bloggers, Julia Maiuri, and becoming real life friends and not just internet friends. She's so great and her art is fantastic. Check it out. When she left, I finished my collage. I had everyone using GEL PENS. Gel pens are so great. Everyone that drew on the table LOVED IT because it's something you can't do at home ;)

Girls Aloud.

2011-09-27T08:00:00.008-04:00

This evening was productive. I ate sno cones, rented Goosebumps from the library, read it to my pal Rhiannon, & made this vlog. It's for my little Cheryl Cole lover.

A Dash of Color.

2011-09-22T07:55:00.000-04:00

Shelby read me my horoscope this evening. It was something along these lines: A dreamer set out with a map looking for buried treasure, but got bored with the route he was on so he took a different route. He didn't find the buried treasure, but he saw some great scenery and met some amazing people along the way. You can keep looking for the treasure, but don't lose sight of what you've already found along the way. It got me thinking; Here I am, wayward, on some weird, beaten path searching for who knows what and things haven't been going the way I thought or planned, but I value who and what I've got. I recently cut ties with a friend who stabbed me hard in the back (cut out the weeds; keep the roses is what someone told me) and it has made me appreciate the ones that I have even more. They are so invaluable. So, I may not be rich in funds, but I am in good company and I'll take that any day. I know I say cheesy things like this, but it's times like these that I just have so much appreciation for the things that we take for granted that I want to remind everyone to value those things too. If that wasn't a colorful enough speech, here is a dash of color from a scratch sheet I found with some colorful lyrics.

Ink.

2011-09-21T04:29:00.006-04:00

Messed with the brush pen in a "not so loose, but more contrived" kind of way. I've been doing a lot of black and white stuff. I need some color in my diet; stat.

Fun Fact #20!

2011-09-20T14:22:00.001-04:00

Raley Rendezvous!

2011-09-19T14:28:00.002-04:00

I had an eventful weekend, but the only documentation of it happened at the Raley Residence. Kim came home from KZoo and a handful of us hung out, ate pizza, and acted like animals! I've also been wearing that Halloween sweater every other day and two people have said, "It's not even Halloween time yet!" I can assure everyone; it is. Houses are being prepared/decorated as we speak. It's getting time.

Fun Fact #19!

2011-09-16T10:30:00.005-04:00

Here's another fun fact that has nothing to do w/this: Today Nick Jonas turns 19!

The Hep.

2011-09-15T10:01:00.009-04:00

I'm still up and rolling with the punches. Sister Shelby bought me a Halloween sweater from the thrift store for 50 cents and THE LIFE AQUATIC for $3!!!! I AM SO EXCITED. We went to the Cider Mill (at 8) and we were the only ones there. We were also shivering. Here is a drawing I did awhile ago. Inspired by one of Audrey Hepburn's portraits; I chose it based on the flat-graphic quality.

Fun Fact #18!

2011-09-14T13:48:00.005-04:00

I love David Bowie's version of "Life on Mars", but I'm currently listening to Michelle Branch's and it's pretty good! In unrelated news, tomorrow the episode of Nate Berkus I went to will air and you can look for me (and my hair) in the front row.

Alan Garner.

2011-09-13T08:39:00.006-04:00

I woke up with a strange tattoo. Not sure how I got it; not a dollar in my pocket and it kinda looks just like you; mixed with Zach Galifianakis.

Apple Charlie's.

2011-09-12T10:23:00.010-04:00

Saturday, I taught little kids how to draw. One such thing I taught them was how to draw some of the features of the face. While they drew, I drew with them.Then I went to Matt "I'm gonna update my blog" Benyo's to hang out with him, Nathan, and Betsy. Together, we ventured to Apple Charlie's because it was perfect apple orchard weather. Matt decided he was going to pick some apples and THAT was exciting because I have never picked an apple before; nor had Betsy or Nate. So, we all picked some apples. We also looked at the animals. I walked up to the Llama and it hated me from the get-go. It turned away from me and stared at me out of the corner of its eye. Then I started making hissing noises and it started kicking its feet back at me and its ears went straight back. Then it turned towards me and I was scared it was going to spit on me. THERE WAS NO GATE TO STOP IT. Well, from the waist down there was, but that thing had a clean shot if it wanted to spit on me. After the llama drama, we got cider and donuts and enjoyed them at a picnic table while bees flew around us. One such bee flew in Matt's face and he swatted it right into mine and we didn't get stung so it was a good day. I want to go back once it becomes actual fall. Sunday I went to sleep at 8 am and woke up at 11 pm. I'm still up from that Rip Van Winkle nap. Good times.

Real Steel.

2011-09-09T07:58:00.015-04:00

Guess what comes out October 7th: "The biggest movie [Shawn Levy] has ever made" that's what. Do we see it in imax or regular theaters? DECISIONS. lolololol

Ipod.

2011-09-08T07:19:00.021-04:00

It has become a routine for me to pick Shelby up from work. I'll sit at Leo's really late until she gets off. Tonight, I was so tired, but I put my ipod on and started writing out the lyrics from songs I was listening to. I also drew the type from the sugar packets:Today is the two year anniversary of meeting Nick and Kevin Jonas in Toronto. To think about it blows my mind. I was on my way to Toronto at this time. Actually, I think we might've been in Toronto and were looking for a hotel to stay at. JUST THINK; if we had found one cheap enough, we would never have met them. IT WAS MEANT TO BE. None of you will ever understand what this day was like for me. It was indescribable and it was magical so of course it should come as no surprise I had a meltdown after it happened! I also like how Nick and Kevin look like they wanna murder Rhiannon. Must be the side braid. [Side note: That green wrist band thing was from a previous Jonas show and I believe it was our good luck charm. I said I'd take it off if we met them. True to my word, I did] Never forget.

Art Battle.

2011-09-07T09:29:00.009-04:00

I went out last night to a bar in Ann Arbor with a handful of my friends that I haven't seen in awhile. The bartender didn't charge me for my sodas! Here I am with JJ.I had an art battle with JJ. We always get into art battles when we see each other. JJ won this one because I refused to do any harm to Harry Potter. Who am I? Dobby?

Harry Potter Party.

2011-09-06T08:07:00.030-04:00

Over the weekend, Matt Benyo, Nathan, and I had a Harry Potter marathon. Nate and I made an unbreakable vow that we would do this so it had to be done. We watched all of the movies and went to see the last one at the IMAX at the Henry Ford. We were beyond prepared for this party. We had Bertie Bott's, a GIANT chocolate frog, PUMPKIN JUICE (from HP world. It tasted like liquid apple butter), and we made Butterbeer which tasted IDENTICAL to HP world's. We got through the first 2 movies fine, but after that, this is what it looked like between Matt and I:We turned into animals. Nathan also joined in to tickle me until I cackled like a witch. He even slammed his knee into my head and I saw green lights. He basically Avada Kedava'd me. Around the 4th movie, we started "Nagini-ing" each other. That's where you pinch with 5 fingers and it's like Nagini the snake biting you. It got out of control quickly, but was still a good time. Seeing the movie in IMAX 3D was fantastic. I cried again and even though the epilogue is cheesy, the combination of the music and Harry saying, "Albus Severus" KILLS ME.

Did summer even happen? I swear it was May yesterday. Time is making fools of us again. But I am getting excited for fall. I love apple orchards and Halloween! I cannot wait. I want to watch scary movies. I need a great costume. I need to come up with ways to scare SOME people for payback from last year. I'd also really like to give pumpkin carving another go because last year I carved my first pumpkin and this year I will not let it be terrible. All the fall aside, I wish the radio was playing Christmas music because I'm ready for it. Best time of the year; hands down.

Sister Shelby and I hung out tonight and I attempted to make Butterbeer as good as Matt Benyo. I was surprised by how well I made it considering I messed the recipe up. Shelby, upon taking her first sip, said it was the best drink she has ever had. I told her we were going to drink 1,000 mugs, but after 2, I nearly puked.

Click this link and go down to recipe #1. It's a process, but it's worth it and it's delicious. I did just read the comments though and some guy offers a simple way of doing it. Oh and from personal experience (both times), do not use 6 tablespoons of butter. I used 3 when I made it and it was still too much. I'd say 1.5-2 would be better.

I'm going to focus on making some art. I have some stuff I've wanted to do, but have been putting off. It's gonna be a good time. Good luck to everyone starting school. Be good students, but make time for ME so I don't feel forgotten and for those of you not in school; why aren't we hanging out?

NY In A Nutshell.

2011-09-03T00:13:00.035-04:00

This post will be very long & all photos were taken by my friends. Also, if you want to look at the photos bigger, just click on them. I went with my bffls: Matt, Nathan, & Betsy to New York City. We took the Mega Bus and left at 7 am from Detroit. We headed to Pittsburgh where we stayed the night. On the bus, Matt Benyo and I acted like animals, but what else is new? I really liked Pittsburgh. We got nomz from some sandwich place where I ate chicken tenders because sandwiches are gross.We then found some fun dinosaurs. Here's a Glamasaurus and a Ketchtop dinosaur!Then we thought we would walk 4 miles to our hotel. WRONG. Our luggage was heavy and we underestimated the distance to the hotel. Mostly we were hot, sweaty, and laughing at how ridiculous it was. Then some random stranger in a car told me he loved my hair and I was happy. We also took a bus in Pittsburgh to get nearer to our hotel and everyone on the bus helped us out. They were amused by us too.The next day, we boarded the bus around 6 am and headed to New York. We were staying in New Jersey though so we went to our apartment. After that, we went to a park and I played Nathan in Chess, but Matt helped me. Nate beat me, but only because I was rusty and I haven't played Chess in 10 years. After THAT we went to Serendipity for Frozen Hot Chocolate and it was so good, but then we went to try to see Daniel Radcliffe because he's performing on Broadway. We waited for an hour in a barricade with about 500 people all around us, but we saw him! All I wanted to do was touch his hand, but I had 2 people in front of me and they weren't letting me through. This mom asked me to try to get him to sign something. He signed the thing she gave me and I was kinda sad and wanted to take it, but I gave it back like a good person. I wanted to scream something profound at Dan Rad, but I was speechless. Also, he is 5'5" and you could barely see him. Good thing Matt is tall and has a long arm to snap photos.The next day, we dressed to the 9's and went to the Nate Berkus show. I don't know if you know who Nate Berkus is, but he's one of the most charming men on day time television. We get to the show and it's raining a bit, but we find out that the show that taped before us was his birthday give-away show and he gave away $2,000 worth of stuff. Guess what we got? Nothing lolololol. Here we are before we left:When we got inside, they put us IN THE FRONT ROW. You know why? Cause we looked PHENOMENAL. The show is going to air in mid-september. I'll let you know when it airs. Here is a sneak photo from inside!Here is a nice photo with Betsy. By the end of the day, I was pouring sweat. I don't know what was going on. Let this be proof I started out looking okay.We got some Jamba Juice and it was the best thing in the world (as usual)!Then we took a bunch of group photos so I just made a compilation of them. The bottom right one is from THE PLAZA HOTEL (which we snuck into). The outside one is from Staten Island. We went there for about 5 minutes. When we went inside to wait for the Ferry, this angry New Yorker tried to pick a fight with a guy standing there. He said he was going to "Knock him out" and then proceeded to have a fake phone conversation with "Joe". You're not fooling anyone, Angry New Yorker, you just pretended to have that conversation.We went to the MoMA and there was this giant thing that you whispered inside of. I was singing the Harry Potter musical into the mic because I'm cool.Sometimes I would get close to Nate like this one time in Central Park.This is my favorite picture of the entire trip. Matt tried to scare me right before this was taken by screaming BOBBY in my ear/face. I was surprised moreso than scared. Notice Nathan creeping inbetween us. SO GOOD!Later that night, we went back over to New Jersey and went out to eat at this place called Oddfellow's. It was a Louisiana style restaurant and LET ME TELL YOU; the Mac and Cheese was seriously incredible. Like, I could eat that forever and probably gain 1 million pounds and not even care. I had ribs as my entree and it's impossible to eat ribs and not look like a maniac afterwards:The next day, both New Jersey and New York decided to have a hissy fit and shut down all the subways so we were screwed and stuck in New Jersey for TWO DAYS because of Irene. This was our first hurricane. Everyone was going nuts; buying all the water and filling their tubs. Well, we went to the pier (minus Betsy) and got SOAKED, but Irene was no match for us. You know what we said? Suck it, Irene and also Come On, Irene (like the song by Dexy's Midnight Runners minus Eileen).The next day we went to the mall. It was 2 minutes away. I ate Popeye's Chicken for the first time. I got chicken tenders. Betsy and I didn't realize the mall was closing at 2 which sucked, but before we left, Matt suggested I take a picture with Justin Bieber for my 3 little pals (Jordan, Leah, and Alayna). Then I sprayed his perfume all over me and left the mall. That night we watched the VMAs and Lady Gaga performed as Jo Calderone. She makes for a very handsome male.After being stuck in our apartment for two days, we headed to look at the damage. We didn't even lose power while enduring the wrath that was supposed to be Irene. The worst we saw was some flooding that came up over our ankles in Hoboken.The only thing that did suck was that it was really windy that day and I was wearing a dress. Stupid of me. When we got to the city, Matt and I played around and Matt ran around like he was in Nebraska. Eventually he stuck my head underneath a fountain and I was a little sad (that's why he has me in the head lock).We were sad that Irene took away two of our days in New York so we had to cram a lot into our last night and we did just that. Monday came and we headed OUT. Matt and I were rat watching the duration of our trip, but then we saw this giant rat and became the Official Rat Watch Champions of 2011.After that, we went to Central Park where I wanted to find this Alice in Wonderland statue and take a photo with it. I climbed up onto it and here is a photo, but I am glowing and hard to see. Thanks, SUNSHINE.We went to Times Square and met up with our friends Cody and Kory.We took a group photo in Times Square. We didn't have anywhere to stay that night so we ended up staying in Times Square. I mean, we stayed up all night and sat in Times Square. Who said that New York is the city that never sleeps? We were the only ones there around 1 am! It was ridiculous. We killed a couple hours in McDonald's because it got cold, but I never thought I'd see Times Square empty.In between all of this, we went to Grand Central and it was completely empty.Then, Matt Benyo and I went to the main concourse and laid on the ground to stare at the painted ceiling. Betsy and Nate didn't join, but it was a magical moment. TWO PEOPLE LAYING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CONCOURSE. The handful of people that were there just walked around us.Then we left New York at 6 am. We were all so exhausted from waking up the day before and walking around all night that we fell asleep, but we had these two British girls behind us SCREAMING into their phones so we kept waking up. Also, our bus driver, Patrick, almost killed us because he was behind schedule so he drove like a maniac. It took us 16 hours to get home, but it wasn't that bad. Matt and I watched True Blood and all of us laughed about our fellow passengers and drivers. It was a really good trip. I can't wait to go back, really.

The Post.

2011-08-23T04:00:00.010-04:00

I made this post card for my friend Max and I was really pleased with the way it turned out. This will be the last post you see from me for a few days. I'm stepping out of the office. A big HELLO to my 3 little jokesters: Alayna, Jordan, and Leah! I MISS YOU GUYS. Click to enlarge and tell me if you recognize anyone on there!

Harry Potter World!

2011-08-22T05:30:00.022-04:00

Last Monday, I left for FLORIDA. I was thrilled because I was FINALLY going to go to Harry Potter World thanks to my dear friend, Matt Benyo! Click to enlarge pictures (which were taken courtesy of MB because Charles stole my camera). Our first stop was Universal Studios! It was Tie-Dye Tuesday for us, but his brother, Drew, kept it real with his hang-10 hand sigs. We rode all the rides and I was set on not getting wet, but that went out the door on the Twister ride. On one of the rides, it recorded a video of you and my arms were flailing like a trapped T-Rex. Unfortunately I can't show that to you, but the visuals in your mind are probably accurate.The next day, we went to the beach. I was pretty sure I covered all exposed skin with sunblock. Wrong. This is me; post-beach. You'll notice that big white spot on my back? That was where my hand reached to cover my back. For some reason, I thought my hand extended and covered all of my back, but no.That night, we went to Downtown Disney and walked around. Note Drew hangin' 10 and Matt is super tan. I'm just trying to keep it real. Later that night, I would be lathered in Aloe Vera and have trouble sleeping because of my burns.Finally, the day that I had been waiting for since its opening had come. Adorned with the Deathly Hallows symbol Matt made me and "Get Back to Hogwarts" playing repeatedly on my ipod, we set off. Upon walking into Hogsmeade, I literally stopped. It was like everything I'd seen in the movies had popped up in front of me and it was breathtaking. We hopped on the Dueling Dragons right away. In line, you pass several Tri-Wizard Tournament props. The rollercoaster was neat. I liked the red one best (the other is blue). After that, we headed for Hogwarts to ride The Forbidden Journey. The wait was 90 minutes, but once inside, it was cool. They had talking paintings and the rubies for the different house points and the RIDE? THE RIDE WAS INCREDIBLE; all biases aside. It combined a lot of different things, but I won't spoil it. After the ride, I bought a cold butterbeer. You have the choice between cold and frozen. It was almost exactly how I pictured it to taste in my mind. It's hard to put into words how great something is. You just have to experience it. So, I say go. I can't wait until I can go back sometime next year.My second favorite part about Islands of Adventure was the JURASSIC PARK area! We went on this Jurassic Park water ride and I was under the impression that it was a scenic ride down a river showing off dinosaurs. Wrong. Raptors got loose and we were up in this building on this raft and we come to the end where a giant T-Rex is growling and thrashing at you. I was staring up at the T-Rex both shocked and mesmerized when BAM! you drop and hit the water and you get soaked. They took a picture right before you drop and I didn't even notice the drop so the picture was ridiculous. My hair was sticking straight up like the Slim-Jim guy and I had a look pure terror on my face. GOOD TIMES. Afterwards, we took this fun photo.We left to go see the final Harry Potter movie. I had not seen the movie yet. Why? Because I wanted to re-read the books first. When the midnight showing happened, I was only on book 5 and at that point I was like, "Who cares how long it takes now. I'm not at the midnight showing." I finished the 7th book a week before I left for FL. I was really excited and had been anticipating seeing the final movie for awhile. I did enjoy it thoroughly, but I cried so much. The first time I cried, I stopped not long after, but near the end, I think I cried for an hour straight. Sometimes it was light and then it would get heavy. Matt kept looking over at me and Drew asked what was wrong with me lolol. It's just hard because there is a lot of death and being the last movie makes it even harder to watch, but it was lovely. My eyes were sore for the next 12 hours.We went back to Harry Potter World after the movie, but without Matt's parents and it started thunderstorming really badly, but we didn't care. When we were there earlier, we didn't go to any of the shops. Upon walking through the gate, I started singing "Get Back to Hogwarts" as loud as I could and hopped in puddles and ran with Matt and Drew to Hogsmeade. All of the shops were REALLY neat. They had Zonko's, Honeyduke's, the Hog's Head, Ollivander's, and more. We ended up getting butterbeer from the Hog's Head and when the girl said get some butterbeer mustaches, apparently I'm the only one that did. Matt said my mustache was like Uncle Vernon's. Also note how soaking wet I am from the rain. We waited in line to go into Ollivander's where a wand chooses a wizard and THAT was cool to watch. We were able to jump on the Hogwarts ride within 5 minutes of getting in line and it was even better a 2nd time. We also hopped a barricade and took a picture with a trolley. On the way out, I screamed "THIS IS THE MOST MAGICAL PLACE ON EARTH" as loud as I could. The workers just stared at me. Twas a good night & trip.

Potter Party!

2011-08-20T00:00:00.006-04:00

Here's what didn't post Thursday! Come back Monday! I dabbled in colored pencil and watercolor to make a compilation of characters from the Harry Potter movies and books. I like the direction things are going lately. By the way, that's Lily Potter with the red hair and the robots are for good measure. The eye is watercolor!And finally, I wanted to post this touching, incredible video of the Harry Potter cast summing their experience working on all of the films up in one word. Click HERE.

Albus Dumbledore.

2011-08-19T07:28:00.002-04:00

The Potter Party is ending so it seems only fitting that I close it with Dumbledore. This is a mixed media piece of the finest headmaster Hogwarts has ever seen.

Hogwarts!

2011-08-17T07:00:00.000-04:00

I GOTTA GET BACK TO HOGWARTS! I GOTTA GET BACK TO SCHOOL! I GOTTA GET BACK TO HOGWARTS WHERE EVERYONE THINKS I'M COOL! I seriously wish I was attending Hogwarts. Life would be totally awesome. Where my Potter friends at?

2-For-Tuesday!

2011-08-16T07:00:00.000-04:00

Two for the price of one? You know it. I didn't draw that robot. A 9 year old did. His robots inspire me. I busted out some Prisma Colored Pencils and drew some characters. Maybe you recognize them; maybe you don't. It's cool either way.

HELLO AGAIN!

2011-08-15T07:11:00.005-04:00

SO, I'm back. I bet everyone thought I was gone for good; nope. I was just busy and you know, the usual excuses. This week is (mostly) Potter Portraits! LET'S KICK IT OFF RIGHT, SHALL WE?! Tune back in each day this week for another something or another (probably a portrait or a robot or something POTTER related)!

Fun Fact #17!

2011-08-02T07:00:00.002-04:00

I'm going to get back to blogging more soon. Major shout out to my 3 little troublemakers: Alayna, Jordan, and Leah! I hope Hawaii is fun guys! I miss you! :) Here is another Fun Fact. Did you know that I'm obsessed with Egyptology?

Britney Spears/Nicki Minaj!

2011-07-29T01:50:00.012-04:00

I went with Matt Benyo and Betsy to see Britney Spears and Nicki Minaj at the Palace and it was a good time. However, Nicki Minaj STOLE THE SHOW. She kicked it off with Roman's Revenge and it was game over after that. Our seats were awesome too. It was surreal seeing Britney Spears because I grew up listening to her and then bam; she's right in front of me. Britney had some rad fireworks, an Egyptian set at one point, confetti, and she had some wings at the end. It was a good show. I don't have a voice so that means it was clearly a good night.

The Zoo!

2011-07-28T07:10:00.006-04:00

We took a field trip to the Detroit Zoo yesterday. I was excited to go to the Reptile House so that I could reenact the scene in the first Harry Potter where Harry sets that Boa Constrictor loose by speaking Parseltongue to it. Well, I joined with Proma and we achieved Snake-Speaking Status. Not even kidding, Proma spoke to a snake. She clearly belongs in Slytherin. Every parent in the Reptile House thought we were out of our minds and I think Matt did too (or maybe he was jealous). The snake that was spoken to was from Australia; not Burma (or Brazil).We were also looking forward to the Australian Outback Adventure where you get to walk amongst the Kangaroos. Too bad the Kangaroos want nothing to do with you so they just stay off in the distance. There was a baby Joey though and I wanted to kidnap it or get into its Mother's pouch and hang out. Perfect time for a group photo. Notice Zoe turned around and Sammi looking miz.Every picture that we took as a trio, yielded terrible results. That could be because we were having children take them; but we got photobombed EVERY TIME. I don't know what's better in this one; Claire to the right, that guy's arm, or Proma peeking out. This was in the Polar Bear ice cave and then we realized we were gonna be late for the bus and we had to go from the back of the park to the front and everyone hated us. We had fun on the way back. Matt + Chelsea = Sometimes a bad combo. We were being instigators and laughing a lot. All in all, a successful mission. We didn't lose anyone and it was a good time.

Fun Fact #16!

2011-07-27T07:04:00.001-04:00

The Babysitter Test.

2011-07-23T00:46:00.012-04:00

On Thursday, I was asked by Elliot's mom, Marla, if I'd be interested in babysitting while her and her husband went out. No problem! Matt Benyo drove me and waited while I waited for them to get home. After receiving the grand tour, Elliot informed me that I would have to pass "The Babysitter Test". I jokingly thought they'd tie me up; turns out they did. Matt helped them so the rope was extra tight. I blacked out during this entire initiation and was gagged at one point. In order to pass the test, you have to break free of the binds AND every time the cone falls off your head, you get an additional minute of binding. I turned into the hulk once they finished because they turned the lights off and ran up the stairs. Well, then I thought monsters were going to get me so I raged, broke free, and followed. The rest of the night was relatively normal, but this was wild. Elliot is way too happy in that second picture.

Glasses.

2011-07-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

I painted these wine glasses during Bob's watercolor class. They're probably 2 inches tall apiece. I had fun painting with watercolors on cardboard. I've never done it before and I like how it serves as the midtone. The last glass (the taller one) was rushed, but I'm still pleased with my results.

Root Beer.

2011-07-19T06:21:00.004-04:00

This is a Chelsea fact; I do enjoy me some Root Beer. I was so pumped when I got home yesterday because I told Alison to put a RB in the freezer so it was nice and cold when I came in. The best part about glass bottled RB is that I have to use the bottle opener on the wall to open it and that is one of my favorite things to do OF ALL TIME. I don't even understand why, but I love opening glass bottles with the bottle opener. Yesterday was spent with a cold one and reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (which I am nearly half way done with). Enjoy the little things.

Fun Fact #15!

2011-07-18T01:37:00.002-04:00

Harry Potter.

2011-07-15T18:16:00.018-04:00

Harry Potter came out last night. I didn't go. I started rereading the books because of the movie and I want to finish them before I see it. I have 100+ pages left in the 5th book and I plan on knocking the other two out this weekend. I cried for a few minutes last night at midnight. On Monday, I started this; unaware that it would become what it has. I drew Harry Potter and then Matt Benyo drew Mad-Eye Moody (who inexplicably became the focal point) and it grew from there. I finished it today. It's a giant HP collage on a giant classroom dry erase board made w/Expo Markers. Most of these were drawn from memory and if Voldemort looked like this, I'd have nightmares, but you get the idea. Potterheads, unite. This is the end of an era.

HBD, Chan!

2011-07-14T01:20:00.003-04:00

I guess Blogger is just going to be a complete a hole. I tried to upload a video and it wouldn't let me. I tried to upload a fun fact and it wouldn't let me do that either. Whatever. I hope this issue is sorted out or else I'm gonna rage. I'm working on a big drawing that I'm hoping to post soon! In the mean time, it is BROTHER CHAN'S 18TH BIRTHDAY TODAY! He's growing up so fast! Happy Birthday, Brother Chan. I love you even if you are the world's biggest Kevin.

Fun Fact #14!

2011-07-13T06:35:00.002-04:00

Venetian Masks.

2011-07-11T00:16:00.011-04:00

I spent this week showing kids how to make Venetian style masks which is why I haven't updated since Wednesday. My apologies, but keep an eye on my blog. I have lots of fun facts and other neat things to post. Here are the masks:Here is a picture of me with my favorite, Elliot! He was joined by his sassy sister, Amelia. They're a great little family. I helped Elliot work on this neat little robot project on the side. He did such an amazing job. This is why I like kids; they inspire me.And last, but certainly not least, here is a picture of Matt Benyo with his favorite camper, Erin. She has such pretty eyes, but she also looks like Dawn from Buffy and I'm pretty sure that's part of the reason MB liked her so much.

Fun Fact #13!

2011-07-06T06:50:00.002-04:00

MB's Card.

2011-07-05T08:10:00.001-04:00

Matt Benyo's birthday was June 23rd, but I just finished his card yesterday. I decided I needed to go big and make something neat. I was originally going to do a surprise party card, but then Matt Benyo asked me if I was doing The Last Supper and I told him no, but after thinking about it, I thought that was a good idea. I originally had 13 people, but I had a hard time doing these 7. If I had done 13, it would've been a disaster. I like about half of the people I did, but the other half I had trouble doing because of how small their heads/features were. Sitting at the high table from left to right, we have Spike, Buffy, Gaga, Matt Benyo, Pink, Cheryl Cole, and Giles. Also included are things Matt Benyo enjoys (and I had to slip a portrait of Jonathan from Buffy in there). I hope he likes it because I worked hard on it! Click to enlarge!

Fireworks FTW!

2011-07-04T00:10:00.012-04:00

I didn't have to go out of my backyard to get the 4th of July experience I was hoping for. My neighbor was a maniac and let off a ton of fireworks. Sure, I may have gotten eaten up by the mosquitos, but at least I got to watch a fun fireworks. Where's the BBQ tomorrow? I can't watch these videos without singing FIREWORK. #katyperry

Katy Perry!

2011-06-30T04:57:00.013-04:00

Matt Benyo and I went to see Katy Perry Tuesday night because we got cheap tickets (floor row 9) and we got them the night before the show. Unplanned shows are the best because it's SPONTANEOUS. I haven't been to a concert since Lady Gaga at the Palace, so it was fun to be back there. There's such a good energy in the air and nothing beats seeing someone LIVE. Katy Perry was no exception.She sang PEACOCK and that song gets stuck in my head all the time.She did Firework and California Gurls as her encore. I was singing Firework so loudly that I think I had a brain aneurysm, but it was a good moment. Fireworks kept going off too and I was smiling like a 4 year old. THEN she sang California Gurls and you wanna talk about a party? This was THE BEST FINALE.There were characters on stage and she pulled out a foam gun and I grabbed Matt Benyo and RAN for the stage and we got foamed! It was so exciting! Then these giant machines went off and there was CONFETTI EVERYWHERE! We were singing and dancing in the aisle way! It was so much fun! Matt Benyo also got one of Katy Perry's guitar picks! Here's us foamed. He took this photo.Let's be honest though, at least 50% of why I wanted to go was because I thought MAYBE I might see my love, Russell Brand, but it didn't happen. At one point, she said, "They just told me my husband is backstage" and I couldn't breathe and almost started crying because if he would've come on stage, I would've vaulted over the barricade, but it didn't happen. After the show, we waited until 2 something to try and meet her, but we made 3 new friends in the process. What an awesome night.

Fun Fact #12!

2011-06-28T06:16:00.000-04:00

Fun Fact #11!

2011-06-27T04:05:00.011-04:00

Do you know why Ohio doesn't have a flag? Because Ohio sucks. Grow up, Ohio; put your big boy pants on. Ohio takes the cake for worst state (and I don't even care about that stupid football rivalry). It's long, boring, and you have to drive through it to explore the rest of America. Also, the speed limit is slow and the cops are jerks.

Code Red.

2011-06-25T03:30:00.012-04:00

The thing I was preparing in the previous post happened to be the cupcakes in the photo. I like how they match his shirt. It took me 3 HOURS TO MAKE THEM. How is that possible? Maybe because I customized the frosting color & decorated them? I don't know. We had a drill where we have to hide in case a shooter is in a building and Matt Benyo and I decided to hide in the bathroom. We sat down on the bathroom floor in the dark and talked about how unenthused the person on the radio was and tried to laugh silently, but giggled a lot. Everyone else heard us through the vents and we got in trouble lolololol. Tonight was his birthday dinner at Olive Garden and it was nice. Afterwards, Matt, Nate, and I watched INSIDIOUS and Matt and I both jumped and that little animal had water in his hand when he jumped and THREW WATER EVERYWHERE. It was funny though. After, we were both slap happy/sleep deprived, that we were laughing so hard that at one point I was crying. Good times.

HBD, MB!

2011-06-23T03:44:00.005-04:00

Today is my BFFL Matt Benyo's birthday! I have been up ALL NIGHT preparing something for him. I'll post a photo of it tomorrow. MB! I can't believe we've only been friends for ONE YEAR (almost exactly) because it feels like we've been lifelong friends. You've been such an influence on me, made me laugh a lot, introduced me to new things, and been all-around amazing. I am so happy I get to share your birthday with you and I hope it's one of the best yet. You deserve it, Boss! I swear I'll talk to Phil and get you that real estate as soon as I win the lottery and I'll also bring Lady Gaga over to write a song about you. Happy birthday, Matt Benyo! ily!

Fun Fact #10!

2011-06-22T06:22:00.002-04:00

Was Dave Thomas a traitor or a spy? Probably both. He had a trusting face.

Fun Fact #9!

2011-06-21T00:00:00.004-04:00

This guy, Dan, asked me what I like to eat and drink and asked me if I was straight edge because I don't drink. No, Dan, I'm not. I just keep it real. Dan thinks I am peculiar. He's probably right. Matt Benyo got a promotion today and I am proud of him! I have also been up for 30 hours and want to die. Here's the next fact:

Fun Fact #8.

2011-06-20T06:31:00.008-04:00

I'm doing FUN FACTS again. Let's kick it off with some underwater creatures.

Teal Lady Gaga!

2011-06-17T03:13:00.010-04:00

So I didn't win that drawing contest, but I did whip this out in an hour so I can see why I didn't, but it was an interesting challenge nonetheless. I got to see what I could do under pressure. The first one is the digital piece and the second one is the traditional piece combining paint, pen, china marker, paper, and pencil. The digital one, she looks kind of asian, so I went back into the traditional one (second) and drew it out some more. This is Lady Gaga w/her teal hair. Have a good weekend!

In Print!

2011-06-16T02:23:00.005-04:00

I received a copy of a publication I was interviewed for back in October by my school today! It's called 50 CCS Alumni Stories: A Look Into Your Future and they send it to prospective students. I'm featured after my friend, Gitter! I'm an underdog in the book, but hey, I'm recognized and it's cool to see my work printed. They even linked to my blog which is rad. I thought I'd share this neat feat with everyone.

HP7: Part 2!

2011-06-15T07:03:00.008-04:00

We have EXACTLY ONE MONTH UNTIL THE LAST HARRY POTTER MOVIE COMES OUT!!! This is the end of an ERA. I am so sad it's going to be over. I wish I had planned and gone to London for the premiere or something, but I will be dressing up in some sort of FULL GARB and going to the midnight showing here. It's going to be nothing short of EPIC and I'll probably have a meltdown. In the meantime, I've been rereading the books. I finished the Chamber of Secrets at 4:30 am and I'll start Prisoner of Azkaban today. I love the books so much. I need to do something to commemorate the end of all that is Harry Potter. While I think about that, I need to know where my HP friends are! WHO ELSE IS EXCITED?!

It's Flag Day.

2011-06-14T04:56:00.010-04:00

Happy Flag Day.
I'm posting some art tomorrow.
Didn't make art today, BUT I did learn some of Poker Face on piano and Matt Benyo and I were a power duo playing together. JUST SAYIN. Piano is serious business.

Happy Birthday, Seester!

2011-06-13T12:35:00.008-04:00

Today is my sister, Alison's, birthday! I made her this little Paper Mario card. It's kind of 3D; the white and yellow pop out. I just got home so that's why I'm posting this late. I was out in Ann Arbor, but now I'm going out for a celebratory lunch with my fam!

Graduation Day!

2011-06-11T06:18:00.014-04:00

Yesterday was Brother Chan's graduation. He's the final Kirchoff to graduate from high school and it's bittersweet. When your siblings are still in high school, you don't think it'll end, but now Brother Chan is done and there's no going back. We're all adult(ish) now. When the graduation song started and Brother Chan rounded the corner, I got teary-eyed. He has grown up so much. I'm excited and sad he is going off to college in the fall. I am going to miss him so much. Chan, you have made me proud. Now, onto the photos! The first is of me with my old teacher, Solak. I had THE BIGGEST crush on him (and still do). I gave him a HUGE hug when I saw him. Then I saw my Real Steel comrade, Tara, and I was SO EXCITED to see her I nearly knocked her over when I hugged her. For some reason, I'm doing a monster paw. #gaga. Following that, Brother Chan poses with Janine and Charles and we conclude this memoir with a family photo. Congratulations, Chan. I love you.

Items of Interest.

2011-06-10T02:31:00.011-04:00

THE LADY GAGA DRAWING: So I woke up today, checked fb, and saw LG said she only had a few hours before her article was due to the magazine she writes for and she needed a little monster to draw a picture of her with her new teal hair asap. So I'm like, oh my god, I have to do this (again). So I busted out a little something. It's not perfect, but whatever, I did it, and I got it in. I get an automated email that says, "We'll announce the finalists by July!" I can't post it because if the contest is still going, I can't risk having someone steal it. So, you're gonna have to wait (hello to those that are looking for it: Cody, LC, Elise, etc), but I'll post it soon!

GRADUATION DAY: Brother Chan is graduating TODAY. I am going to make a post tomorrow with pictures. I shouldn't even go because Brother Chan was a jerk and missed my college graduation, but I'll be the bigger person and attend his.

THE LIBRARY: I love the library. I plan on spending the weekend reading despite the fact that I have two birthday parties, a graduation party, and something else I'm not remembering. Kim Raley, I am writing you a letter right now! Here are the books and I WILL READ ALL OF THE HP BOOKS BY JULY:

The Bridge.

2011-06-09T01:17:00.004-04:00

I found this image on tumblr about a Bridge in Paris and it said: "You can hang locks on it with the name of you and your BF/GF/Best Friend and then throw away the key in the river, but when you break up, you can't remove the lock. It stays there forever, just like a scar". Isn't that interesting? I found these wood letters in a bag in my room and I really like this lyric from a Lady Gaga song so I put it in my sketchbook.

Sketchin' It Up.

2011-06-08T00:15:00.004-04:00

I did some sketching. I received a letter in the mail from my friend, Kim Raley, and she cut out the image I drew on a balloon while visiting her in Kalamazoo with Matt Benyo. I drew this girl while at the tattoo shop with Jason. I never draw girls and I think I was subconsciously channeling Lady Gaga in Judas with this one. Whatever. These are just sketches and they're not that serious. Click to enlarge!

Zeke The Plumber.

2011-06-07T11:35:00.002-04:00

I chose Zeke the Plumber on The Hallway Show, but no one did it except Matt Kobylarek and I'm okay with that. Does anyone even remember Zeke the Plumber from Salute Your Shorts? He was TERRIFYING. This is my ode to him.

Red Wings!

2011-06-06T03:40:00.021-04:00

A friend of mine, Jason, asked me to design a tattoo combining the Red Wings winter classic D & the Red Wings logo. It took some re-drawing, but I got it to a spot where we liked it; I even redesigned the winter classic D a bit. The plans came to fruition sooner than I thought because I was invited to go with him to get the tattoo done at Graveyard Ink and they made it pop. No one has EVER taken something I've made and had it tattooed on them (not including myself). To know that someone thinks your work is good enough to have it on them is priceless. I did the finish in Illustrator. I lost the sketch that has the wings logo drawn into the D, but here's the D.I went with JJ & Sarah to Pride Fest in Detroit. We stopped by the Ren Cen which brought back Real Steel memories. We ate at Niki's by St. Andrew's and decided to go to JJ's friend's house in Ferndale (I believe) where I met 3 people: AJ, Matt, and Megan. They were incredible and genuine. There was so much synergy in the house between the 6 of us (AJ went to bed early) and after talking, I found out Matt is actually a designer! He makes fashionable garments out of recyclable products! I was BLOWN AWAY by his work AND he's completely self taught; never taken a class or anything! Check out this youtube video to get the gist of his work! For more info, head to his FB like page. I love getting to know new people and I especially enjoy it when they're good people. I look forward to seeing them again.

Freaky Friday.

2011-06-03T04:27:00.011-04:00

I laughed so hard today as a result of tangents into fantasyland involving the lottery, accents (New Castle, Aussie, the mystery accent the Real Estate guy decided to keep changing), & Joeys. No art, but next week I am bringing the art full throttle.

90's Appreciation Post.

2011-06-02T00:00:00.007-04:00

The 90's were the best; so many good shows, movies, and memories. I found this image while stumbling and it was called "The 90's in 1 Picture". How accurate! I also remembered something about the 90's before I took a nap today. All through Elementary and Middle school, I had trouble with MATH. I remember subtracting was especially difficult for me and I don't know why. I digress though. Are You Afraid of the Dark still reigns supreme as one of the top shows of the 90's. What else was good? My dream growing up was to be a Purple Parrot on Legends of the Hidden Temple. That didn't happen, but I'm telling you I could put that monkey together in the Shrine of the Silver Monkey better than those kids. Every time they got to that room, I would scream at the TV because they would try to put it together backwards, upside down, and every wrong way possible. I had a flannel in 5th grade. Alison had a skip-it and I used to enjoy taking it from her and skipping it while she cried. I feel bad for kids these days. They don't have cool shows and times aren't as simple. We had it made and we didn't even know it. What do you miss from the 90's?

Just Dance, BC.

2011-06-01T00:56:00.010-04:00

Brother Chan and I had a conversation on fb while being in the same house. We were the only ones home so I came up with a fantastic solution involving HBO:I find it slightly ironic that Brother Chan said Lady Gaga's moves are provocative when he looks like The Gimp straight outta Pulp Fiction. Gimme a break. He would've been a great back up dancer based on attire alone. Thumbs up, indeed.

The Legend of Zelda!

2011-05-31T06:16:00.010-04:00

Link was picked over on The Hallway Show. The Legend of Zelda games hold a very special place in my heart. My parents started playing Zelda when I was born and we never stopped playing. Brother Chan was playing Zelda before he could even walk. While Ocarina of Time is my favorite and Windwaker has the neatest graphics, I had to pay tribute to the first Zelda by making this pixelated link using TINY pieces of paper that I cut out and assembled. From start to finish, this little monster took 4 hours. That's preposterous! My scanner is down. Here's my process/finish!

The Centipede.

2011-05-26T00:01:00.008-04:00

I'm almost too embarrassed to post this because of my screaming (but NOT because of my Jonas Brothers wall). I found a centipede in my room and this is me trying to kill it. Alison filmed. Be warned; the screaming is intense. Keep your volume to about a 2. I tested this out on Brother Chan to see if it was funny. He laughed. So, it's going up. I know I haven't been doing art lately, but that's going to change next week. I'm taking the weekend off to inspire myself. Whoo! Enjoy!

X Factor Pt. 2.

2011-05-25T00:11:00.007-04:00

Our trip in a nut shell! The compilation vlog from the X Factor Chicago (but actually Hoffman Estates) trip starring Matt Benyo with cameos by: Boo, Kim Raley, Jessica, and Kelly. It's 7 1/2 min, but I edited it from 24 min. I did my best to keep it flowing.

X Factor Pt. 1.

2011-05-24T03:44:00.012-04:00

I am editing the footage of the adventure together and it's taking forever because I keep rewatching these videos. Check out that sunburn on my chest. It looks like someone ripped my skin off. I wasn't even facing the sun. Vlog tomorrow!

BTW IS OUT TODAY!

2011-05-23T00:00:00.011-04:00

Ooh there ain't no other day, BORN THIS WAY is out TODAY! Sing that line in the style of Born This Way. I remember New Year's Eve at Matt Benyo's, waiting for Lady Gaga to tweet when the album would drop and it's here! Time flew! First listen, I liked it, but after listening to it on the adventure, it has grown on me and I'm all about it. Speaking of, I'm home! I made vlogs so I'll edit those and post tomorrow. Here is a drawing I did from the BTW video. It's black pen and white paint. PAWS UP!

JOE JONAS!

2011-05-20T02:09:00.004-04:00

I drew this picture of Joe Jonas looking MIGHTY FINE. I still love the Jonas Brothers. I am leaving in T-Minus 15 minutes to go on an adventure with Matt Benyo beyond the borders of Chicago! I'll document our trip and I'll have a vlog to post upon return for TUESDAY. Monday is already planned. Enjoy your weekend!

Just Whip It.

2011-05-19T03:46:00.011-04:00

Contents include: hair accessory, my roots, clarification regarding The Accent Challenge, Brother Chan cameo, and me singing a snippet of "Whip My Hair". However, I don't actually whip my hair back and forth. Maybe next time.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer!

2011-05-18T02:43:00.018-04:00

A good, but sad day; the theme was death. I spent the day with Matt Benyo and we continued our Buffy marathon. I won't say who died, but it's in Season 5. I was crying hard at Anya's monologue. Fast forward to GLEE. Jesus Christ, I was almost to the point that I was uncontrollably sobbing. Seriously, it was so sad. When they sang Pure Imagination, I could NOT handle it. Then we watched The Voice, I was sassy with his brother, and we ate pizza rolls. BORN THIS WAY LEAKED and Matt Benyo got it like a sneak and we had a listening party in his basement and jammed it in its entirety. Scheiße is my absolute favorite! Then we watched some more Buffy (no one died, but it was sad) and MB took me home and played with Big Momma. BM got a makeover and now she looks like a dog; not so much a lion/sheep. I'm really excited to finish up Season 5 of Buffy. We only have 3 more episodes!

The Accent Challenge!

2011-05-17T00:01:00.004-04:00

SO I'M BACK IN BUSINESS. My friend, Kezia, posted a video of the Accent Challenge on her tumblr, but I brought it to blogger. UPDATE: Sister Shelby did TAC via skype and Matt Benyo has also decided to participate! MAKE ONE!
- Your name and username & where you’re from.
- Pronounce the following words: Aunt, Roof, Route, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Pajamas, Caught, Naturally, Aluminium, GIF, Tumblr, Crackerjack, Doorknob, & Envelope.
- What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?
- What is a bubbly carbonated drink called?
- What do you call gym shoes?
- What do you call your grandparents?
- What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?
- What is the thing you change the TV channel with?
- Choose a book and read a passage from it.
- Do you think you have an accent?
- Be a wizard or a vampire?
- End audio post by saying any THREE words you want.

Re: Zac Efron!

2011-05-16T04:56:00.025-04:00

I want to say something. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Good feedback is nice, but when someone is highly critical, that's nice too. I believe non-artists can see in ways that artists can not and vice versa. I do appreciate those that are sticking up for my work, but it's unnecessary because while some of you are saying Nate is wrong, I think he has valid points. You don't have to agree with things that are said, but I want everyone to be respectful on my blog. My blog isn't a battlefield. Don't let anything anyone says upset you; it doesn't upset me. From a place of love, I respect you all and hope that you'll show the same kind of respect for everyone on here.

C'mon guys; WHY SO SERIOUS?!

Profile Picture? OK!

2011-05-14T07:30:00.002-04:00

My friend, Jason Pinkham, asked if I would draw his facebook profile picture (which I just found he will be using for his RADIO SHOW as his ICON) and I stepped up to the challenge. Is my computer back and fixed? No, but he took a photo of this with his iphone and I was able to swipe it and post it here for you to see! I used charcoal, gouache, pencil, and pen; a mixed media montage. I don't know if that's right, but it's a nice alliteration (my favorite literary device). He is also having me work on a few tattoo ideas for him. It's not what I usually do, but I am enjoying the challenge.

Zac Efron!

2011-05-09T06:57:00.009-04:00

This is a bittersweet post. This cut out is the sweet part. This is the final result of 160 Photoshop layers. I know I say this often, but this is a breakthrough piece. It's layered (like an onion) with detail that took forever. Nate's a huge Zefron fan; he'll be a good judge of my rendition. Now, onto the bitter part. I had no intention of posting this yet. I was going to scan a drawing I did, but my scanner is no longer working on my computer. My computer has decided it's going to do whatever it wants and to say that I'm angry is an understatement. Hopefully I can get the Apple folks to fix it, but I'm off of it until then. I hope I don't lose any of you while I'm away. Leave some nice comments for me to come back to. Fingers crossed that they will repair this rogue machine (or else I'm gonna cry). Click to enlarge and farewell friends...for now!

Sketch It Up.

2011-05-06T01:53:00.012-04:00

These are from my sketchbook; a few sketches and things pasted in. I'm doing a lot of work this weekend so keep an eye out for it. I'm also brainstorming get-rich-quick schemes, but that's kind of hard. My kidneys are for sale. DESPERATE TIMES CALL FOR DESPERATE MEASURES. Have a good weekend, everyone!

CCS REUNION!

2011-05-05T00:00:00.014-04:00

Today was TOP NOTCH! I got 5 hours of sleep after being an animal all night and went with my CCS chaps [Sean, Meredith, and Pat] to get pizza from Z's in Detroit. I enjoy their pizza and menu because everything ends in a Z; i.e. starterz, dessertz, etc. We were loud, laughing, and Lady Gaga came on and I sang. We then went to our old stomping grounds; CCS. Every time someone walked by, I knew them! My Pre-College kids (from 07-09) were there! Not everyone that walked by is pictured. The weather was PERFECT! They said I had my 'camp counselor face' on, but it just felt good to catch up with all of the kids (they're grown ups now). I'd like to think I helped them in some way or another. I demanded a group photo be taken and the wonderful, Anna Lisa, helped us do that. The 2nd one accurately sums me up.

Motivate Me!

2011-05-04T04:09:00.006-04:00

I have been burning the candle at both ends and as a result, haven't been able to scan in my newest work, but alas, I am taking a break to not only recuperate, but to also share with you this amazing website. It's all about motivation. I hope it motivates you to do whatever it is you're not doing: click here!

TAXI!

2011-05-03T02:27:00.007-04:00

Got city life on the brain because I'm going there again. That rhymes if you pronounce again as a-gain. I drew this on a napkin and colored it in Photoshop.

Hey, It's May!

2011-05-02T00:47:00.003-04:00

So much to do, so little time. Sometimes I think time is working against me. sldfjsl

Grilled Cheese, Anyone?

2011-04-29T00:01:00.007-04:00

Thats right, the chef is back in town. Janine bought the essentials and I'm back in my element. I planned on making them today, but Charles surprised me by making RIBS and I turned into a straight up CARNIVORE. Charles placed the slab in front of me and I started tearing it apart with my hands and dunking the meat into a bowl of BBQ sauce. By the end, I had sauce all over my face, hands, and shirt. So, tomorrow I will keep it CLEAN and HUMAN by making grilled cheeses for the kids.

Rhiannon & Peter.

2011-04-28T01:58:00.009-04:00

Rhiannon wanted me to draw a picture of her with the infamous spieling Peter Pan from Disneyland for her birthday. I used crayons, paint, pen, and pencil on this.ALSO, I just watched the preview for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and I teared up/got chills. I AM GOING TO BE SO MIZ COME JULY 15th!

Self Defense.

2011-04-27T00:00:00.001-04:00

Remember Rex Kwon Do from Napoleon Dynamite? That pretty accurately sums up my experience this evening in front of my house.Denise Sewesky informed me that she took a self defense class and decided to teach me about it/show me some moves. I was Kip. Denise basically beat the hell out of me, but luckily, no one was out/around so I just felt like an idiot in my own mind in the middle of the street. She showed me how to break elbows, wrists, and noses. It's all about SPEED and AGILITY. Each of her little moves, she barely applied pressure, BUT IT HURT. I should've said GEEZ under my breath in a lisp the way Kip does, but instead, my expressions did all of the talking. I'm feeling good should someone try to attack me. The final thing I learned is that if you are being raped in an alley, don't scream RAPE; instead, scream FIRE so "everyone comes out to look at the pretty fire." Thanks for the tips, D. Here are Denise and Proma bots.

Birthday Wind-Down.

2011-04-26T06:32:00.007-04:00

I am so tired right now. My birthday was fantastic. Here is how I looked:I woke up early, received a package in the mail from Rhiannon, went to the mall to get some shirts, met up for slurpees with an ex-friend, went for pizza with the Cappello brothers, received a cake and nice gifts from Alex, went to Back Door for MORE pizza, went to the Melting Pot for dessert, got a nice purple V-Neck from American Apparel, spent the evening with Sister Shelby at Leo's, Jeremy and Alicia stopped by and Alicia got me an awesome little Katy Perry set of nail polishes, and now I am home! Here is a picture of Charles presenting me with RIBS from the grill smothered in BBQ sauce as he has two bones in his mouth serving as TUSKS:Here is a picture of the multi-tiered cake Alex made for me. It is FUNFETTI and has some lyrics from Lady Gaga's hit, Born This Way, on top that say: "Rejoice and love yourself today, because baby you were born this way!" I was SO EXCITED!I also received nice cards from Rhiannon, Alex, Alicia, Shelby, and my parents. I was so excited. I really do love cards. I was also policing my facebook all day and I wanted to thank everyone that wrote on my wall/liked my status AND major thanks to those of you that took the time to leave me a blog comment! Thanks for making me feel special throughout the day! Art to come tomorrow!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

2011-04-25T00:00:00.016-04:00

I'm astonished by how quickly my birthday arrives. Come 1:34 am, I will be 24; almost a quarter of a century old. I've been lucky & fortunate this year. 2011 started out bad, but it has become better (gradually). I've had several birthday celebrations leading up to this day & I feel so honored to have the people in my life that I do. I want to give special thanks to (in no particular order): Alex (835), Rhiannon, Sophia & Farah, Raechel & Carlos, Jeremiah Walton, Dave Roldan, Matt Benyo, Nate, Betsy, Amy, Kim, & my family. Each of you has done something for me (up to this point; the thanks will extend today) that a 'thanks' seems insufficient. Thank you for making me feel special pre-birthday. Today, I have a lot lined up & I'm excited for all of it. I'm definitely going to enjoy some pizza & all I can ask for is that I continue to live, make art, & be happy. I'd also enjoy some nice blog comments to come back to! It's becoming a tradition to revamp my illustrator self-portrait each year. OH! ALSO, THIS IS MY 500TH BLOG POST! Here's to 500+ & that you'll continue to follow my exploits in life & art. CHEERS! (CLICK TO ENLARGE; the colors are better!)