Hi guys! April has been a bit of a rollercoaster, I’m not gonna lie. Lots of outfit switching. Lots of miscommunication. Lots of plans changing. Lots of emotions. This month has been so insanely busy and I’m honestly surprised I found time to write this. But here are some fun things from this month!
Art
I have been going into the print shop every Wednesday afternoon for about the past month, and I have finished my first solo linoleum print! This is titled “moon village” and I love it. I am proud of how much of a contrast I was able to achieve between the dark and the light.
I have also started on another etching print, which I am also excited about. It is a funky little portrait that has elements of myself in it. I was inspired by a photo I saw on Pinterest, but I made it my own by adding my short hair and freckles. I will definitely be posting a finished image in another monthly favorite post!
For my 2D art class, we were assigned to create something that showed movement with color. That was it. It was entirely open-ended and could be made out of physical materials, or made digitally. This was following another paper project we did, so I really wanted to challenge myself to make it out of paper. I wanted to show movement in an everyday item or situation, versus just a pattern of “moving” color. I chose a bath where you pull the drain plug and all the water swirls down. I designed this first in Adobe Illustrator so I could get the exact dimensions and scale of the items, but also so I would have a digital version as a backup in case the paper one didn’t work out. I printed all of the elements out as separate pieces and used them as stencils on colored paper to make the different pieces. I then just glued everything on from top to bottom. I’m hoping to frame it and hang it in my bathroom in my apartment next year!
A random little art trend I have been loving is matchbooks and their designs. This isn’t a recent trend. The tradition of collection matchbooks has been around for ages, but people have been getting back into it. I have seen people customizing them for their weddings, or just customizing them to have them around their house. A creator I follow on TikTok created a template to customize your own matchbook designs, and I purchased her template to edit in Adobe Illustrator. I love all of the new fonts I discovered because of this, and the possibilities to make my own matchbooks. The template itself could just be produced as a print on its own and it would still be adorable. I did not change any of the words that she already had on the template, but this is what it looks like. Then the literal day after that, I saw a post from my favorite coffee shop back home that they released their own matchbooks for sale! Fun little coincidence.
Other recent art inspiration:
Fashion
Some recent outfits (mainly from the only nice week we had all month):
Food
I wrote about Horizone Line Coffee in a previous post, but Bella and I returned to try out their to-go system. The entire business uses glassware, even for their to-go orders. They give you your coffee in a glass jar with a lid, and you can keep it, or you can wash it and return it for a discount on your next drink. I think this is really awesome, plus the jars are adorable. Also, their coffee is great.
We did get a chance to try out another new coffee shop this month! Nestled in the cute neighborhood of Valley Junction, between vintage shops and boutiques, Reading In Public is a bookstore/coffee shop. The large ceilings display the shop’s enormous collection of books, while the coffee counter draws you into the modern design of the space. The coffee and chai were delicious, and they have the cutest marketing materials. I wish I had a business card with a doodle of myself on it like their baristas do. I’m hoping to return and do homework there sometime because they have a counter with seating. I believe that the next coffee shop on our list to try is Chain and Spoke, a bike shop/coffee shop combo. Keep an eye out for a tidbit about that!
I also got to try out a few new restaurants. The Royal Mile, a British pub downtown, was such a fun place for dinner. They have all of the classic comfort dishes, like poutine, cheese toasties, fish and chips, and Guinness stew. Seated in their second level, we brought cards to play while we waited. It was just a comfortable, homey environment with delicious food. I recently got to take my dad there when he visited for Relays. We decided to try the bread pudding, and wow. It did not disappoint. Even JJ, who famously doesn’t like sweets, loved it.
The other place I tried out was Big Grove Brewery. JJ’s dad and I had dinner there and it was so cool. They make a lot of their own brews in-house, and you can see all of their machines from the dining area. The wait was 40 minutes long because they don’t do reservations, but it was worth it. We got to check out their merch while we waited, and honestly, I just liked having some time to talk to him, since we don’t always hang out just the two of us. It’s important to me that I have a good relationship with my partner’s family. We had some amazing chips and queso, and I tried one of their non-alcoholic brew options. It was so citrusy and refreshing. I had a yummy chicken sandwich, although I wasn’t a fan of their “secret sauce”, and Joe had a pork sandwich. The interior of this place is so awesome. The bar is beautiful and they have such an inviting space. I wish I would’ve taken more pictures, but I definitely recommend it. Maybe eat a snack before you come though…
Back at one of my favorite restaurants in town, Motley School Tavern, JJ and I discovered that they serve breakfast. For his birthday breakfast, we enjoyed homemade toast, breakfast potatoes, and decadent pancakes. Their unique space and the interesting menu always result in a good time.
Body
Pump top containers: everyone has seen the Drunk Elephant brand and the trend where you mix your bronzer drops into your moisturizer on top of the pump container. Well, I was jealous. And so I discovered that they sell empty push pump containers on Amazon. And I love it so much. I will admit that it took me a bit to figure out how the vacuum seal worked and where to put the lotion, but now I use it every day. And they came in a two-pack!
Tanning lotion: I had never self-tanned before this spring. But I was able to find a gradual tan lotion that doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin, turn me orange, AND smells good. I bought the Tanologist Gradual Tan Lotion and it’s great! It probably takes about 3 consecutive use to see a difference. I used it for a week straight before formal, and it wasn’t a huge difference, but I felt a lot more confident than I would’ve with my winter paleness. It’s a pretty big tube, and I am interested to see how it will work in the summer over an existing tan.
Media
I finally finished Sex and the City 🙁 I didn’t realize they made a reboot show in 2022, and it was an interesting and modern take. They included a lot of current and controversial topics and incorporated them into the ladies’ lives in sufficient ways, in my opinion. I have now officially watched all six seasons both movies and the one reboot show. This whole franchise is so nostalgic and intriguing. I just love everything about it and I want to be Sarah Jessica Parker.
Other
Happenings
I got to take a self-defense class with my roommate a few weeks ago. I was a little nervous going into it because I had no idea what to expect, but it was awesome. We got to learn where to hit people, how to break a strong grip, and how to remove a grasp from ourselves. We even got to break planks of wood with our feet!
We also had spring formal for JJ’s fraternity! It was at a super cool art studio with an event space and we had lots of fun.
RELAYS!
The end of April finally brought on Relays Week, a huge tradition here at Drake. It is one of the largest track events in the country, and it brings college, high school, professional, and Olympic athletes to our Blue Oval. But it is also one of the biggest party/event weeks at our school.
One tradition is Painted Street. Every year, student organizations apply with a design and a chance to paint a square on a path in front of our library. This year and last year, I got the opportunity to help JJ’s frat paint their square, and it has been so fun. I am always impressed with the design they come up with. I love being able to help out, and the guys are always so grateful.
As a member of SAB, we plan and put on 90% of the student events available to do during Relays. Usually, there is a carnival, some sort of tie-dye, and a concert! For the concert this year, we hosted All Things King (a band featuring one of our professors), the dj Disco Lines, and Bea Miller! We even got to meet Disco Lines, a.k.a. Thaddeus.
There were all sorts of things going on during relays week. My dad got to visit and we watched some friends from high school who were in the actual track meet happening. There were also some fun parties, some games, and lots of music.
On the flip side, there is also a lot of pressure when everyone is expected to go out every day of the week. People use this week as an excuse to get plastered and it is honestly exhausting. If I do go out, I have fun, but I also get less sleep and have less time to do assignments. If I don’t go out, I get to sleep and get my homework done, but I have crippling FOMO. It’s just a hard balance to learn and I am still trying to figure it out. I just don’t like feeling judged if I don’t go out, but I also get jealous of the people who can afford to be there every day of the week.
Music
This month’s rotation:
- All Of The Girls You’ve Loved Before – Taylor Swift
- Dead Ringer – Yoke Lore
- Green Eyes – JOSEPH
- More Of Your Love – JR JR, Yoke Lore
- Spirit – Judah & the Lion
- Cornelia Street – Taylor Swift
- Everybody Needs Someone – Noah Cyrus, Vance Joy
- I GUESS THE CALL IT FALLIN’ – Kelsea Ballerini
Also, as I was writing this blog post I discovered my new favorite band??? They’re called The Arcadian Wild, and I had one of their songs on my new music playlist and I have no clue how I found them. I am obsessed with the instrumentals and their harmonies. They’re kind of like bluegrass indie. Like Noah Kahan with more fiddle. I will update you next month!
Completed goals (from previous favorites posts):
- got an internship!
- bought Hinterland tickets!
- saved enough money for those tickets
- and to buy a new phone soon!
- currently having fun with a giant (7ft) collage I’m making in a class, and some package design mockups for another class
- staying consistent at the gym! I have been seeing visible progress and it is really cool
Current goals:
- get a tattoo!
- finish school with good grades
- get a coffee shop job for the summer
- stay inspired creatively
- and make more things!
- treasure time with friends
- keep up with the gym while I’m not at school
- learn new things at my internship!
- build my portfolio
And that’s all she wrote.
I LOVE YOU GUYS. It makes me so happy when people tell me they legitimately look forward to these posts. Seriously. It makes my day.
This is my last post before summer break!!! I am hoping to do lots of fun things this summer and I am hoping you guys will be ready to read all about them!! Please feel free to shoot me a text if you have any blog ideas that you’d like to see from me, or if you have any suggestions of things I should try!
❤️
Fun , fun, fun to read Ava…. Makes me love you more❤️❤️