Stranger Danger?

I love dressing up.  I love that Halloween is a nationally sanctioned excuse to dress up as someone other than me.  I love fall, I love candy, I love Halloween movies...Hocus Pocus anyone?  This year it took me forever to come up with a costume.  Usually I've got it planned by June so I have time to create whatever dreadfully expensive and elaborate idea I've thought up but this year- nothing.  Finally a few weeks ago the idea to be Kat Von D popped into my head and I went with it. 

A costume like that still takes a few hours so I started getting ready in shifts.  I put on all my tattoos (except the sleeves) and half of my make up and then went shopping with some friends.  Halfway through our excursion I forgot all about the giant tattoo I had on my neck.  As I'm walking around I notice people staring at me... but then when I look up they look away quickly.  Or there were the other ones who didn't look away and gave me their best look of disgust.  I couldn't figure out why people were judging me.  And then I remembered the tattoos. 

Anyone who knows me well or for any length of time knows I'm about as straight laced as they come.  I have never before been judged by mass quantities of strangers.  What started as a quick trip to find my friend a costume turned into a really great learning experience for me.  I suddenly understood what it felt like to be judged completely by what I looked like.  I was categorized because of a $5 stick on tattoo.  It really felt awful. These people wrote me off without knowing a single thing about me.  I knew it was a temporary tattoo and that tomorrow people would stop judging me on it...but to know that happens to people all the time just makes me feel kind of sick.  And it's not just tattoos or piercings but we lump people into categories all the time.  That's what people do right? I can't change that.  But what I can change is the way I respond to people.  I like to think I'm a little more open minded than my "friends" in walmart (yeah of all places right?) but I will for sure be more aware of my thoughts and action toward others.  Maybe even smile at strangers.  I like to give people to benefit of the doubt- you never know when they will surprise you. 

With Skin As White As Snow

My friend Britnee is super woman.  Really she is.  Just last week she coordinated a fundraiser for an elementary school in Orem.  It was basically and outdoor carnival with tons and tons of stations.  A few months ago, in preparation for this carnival she asked me if I could be snow white.  I of course said yes.  I love any excuse to dress up as a princess.  Plus I feel like it justifies how much money I actually spent making the dumb dress.  Anyway, So last Friday night I dressed up and sat in an archway for the princess bean bag toss.  They toss the bean bags and then they get to take a picture with the princess if they want to.  Not hard.  I didn't even have to run the game- just sit there, smile, and wave. 

I have decided that I need to do this stuff more often.  It was great on my self esteem.  Tons of little girls just starring wide eyed at me.  Also hearing things like "Oh! She is Sooooo pretty!"  who doesn't like that?!  At one point Britnee's daughter came over to play and I was a little nervous she would recognize me- since she comes into work all the time with her mom.  But she didn't.  She was all smiles and it made my night.  Later, talking to Britnee I found out that her daughter said, "Mom, how did you get the real snow white to come?"  YES!!  I am convinced it's because my skin really is pale and I don't wear a wig like so many girls do.  I'm real and they are not. Win!! 

As the carnival was winding down I did realize that hundreds of strangers were going home with pictures of me.  That was a little weird, but the girl running the booth pointed out that if I was at Disneyland it would be thousands.  So I decided to not let it bother me.  It was so much fun- the only problem I had was sore cheeks from smiling for 3 hours. 

SUMMERFEST

Here in Utah County every city has its 'days' or a week long summer celebration that includes a parade, a carnival, and for some cities a rodeo. well, this year the Hale Center Theater Orem was asked to give a concert in the park for the orem summerfest. And that included me. Linda Hale called and asked if I would like to sing Gimme Gimme

as part of their presentation. Of course I said yes!!! They let me wear a costume and the coolest hat ever!! The only problem was- the park was packed so I had to park several streets over and walk to the park in said costume. I got several weird looks from people along the way but whatever. I was a little nervous since there were a ton of people in the park but it wasn't too bad. The stage was awesome and there was a set of speakers facing me so I could actually hear myself- which is always a plus. I had SO much fun!!! I would totally do it again- it was an amazing opportunity.

Bells are Ringing- Springville Playhouse

Well my play has officially ended. The bells are ringing ran June 4th -June 26th and man was it a blast!! I got to work with some of the most fun and talented people ever!! I was busy all day long but it was so worth it. I met so many incredible people that I wouldn't have met otherwise! I wasn't in too many scenes and I only had 4 solo speaking lines but we had so so much fun back stage waiting to go on. Lots of inside jokes and a lot of ugly pictures! I can't wait to do another show. It is exhausting and time consuming but so very worth it! I was able to stretch myself a little further out of my comfort zone and right now i'm all about challenging myself and letting myself continue to grow.

Playing in the snow!!

Back in November of 09 I got this idea to do a white on white artsy photoshoot. My niece is very blond and i'm pretty dark so I thought the all white costume in the snow would accentuate that difference. I also wanted our accessories to be opposites so Shelby became the silver snow angel and I was the gold. My vision of course required quite a bit of snow and unfortunately here in PG we have had only 2 really good snow storms. Both of which were days when I worked or had other previous commitment. This morning I realized that it is almost march and I am running out of time for snow. I had nothing pressing today so I texted my sister and we decided to go out and find some snow. So we took a short trip up to American Fork canyon and were pleasently surprised to find a perfect spot to make my vision come true. We froze our fingers practically off and I did slide down a hill on my backside...but we still had a lot of fun!! My sister took all the pictures--She is amazing!!

This is Halloween

This year for Halloween I had every intention of once again being Snow White. However, about 2 days before Halloween, this image popped into my head of an idea for a photo shoot. The image is hard to explain but it was somewhere along the lines of 80s rocker meets fashion runway model. Unfortunately I didn't own most of the necessary items one of which being...a tutu. So I headed out to the mall in search of stripped tights and black lace gloves gearing myself up to the fact that I probably wouldn't find anything I was looking for because hello- a tutu...who has that?!? Once inside the mall I decided to just go straight to hot topic-a scary store but probably the only non-traditional store in Utah county. Much to my surprise they not only did they have a tutu, they had probably 15 different tutu's to choose from, multiple stripped tights, colored hair extensions, and multiple kinds of fingerless gloves...Jackpot!!! I ended up spending an entire hour in hot topic and left feeling pretty good about my accomplishment. I decided that Halloween was going to be a test run for the shoot. Sadly, I had to work until 6 and I had a party to be at that started at 8. That left me only two hours to clock out, drive home in some traffic, do my hair and make up, change, and drive back down to Provo. I knew that time would be my enemy and it was. I got the outfit figured out but my make up took about 45 min which meant the hair didn't quite make run way status, but the teal streak was pretty sweet...and after all that work I decided I didn't like my eye make up after all...but I guess that's why it was a test run. And on the not so down side of it...that means I will just have to dress up again to get it right next time :) And it gave me a legit reason to dress up...I would have done it anyway but at least this way no one looked at me weird for bowling in a tutu.

Halloween!

Hey friends...I was recently chastened by a friend for not updating my blog..so here goes. Although, there is not much to update. so I will start with Halloween! My sister shannon was in desperate need of a haircut so she flew me out to washington for halloween. Since I was spending the evening with my nieces I thought it would be a great idea to dress up...so I thought, what can I be for halloween? and the answer was so obvious...pale skin, dark hair...SNOW WHITE! yes. so my mom and I got to work sewing my dress. And boy was it fun...except for the humidity in the hair which flattened my snow white curls! one little girl I passed trick or treating said to her mom in awe "oh! a princess!"...haha it was awesome! And my girls looked great....Emily was the corpse bride and gilly was a ballerina...what better way to spend halloween than trick or treating with two super cute girls that I love!

Photo shoot

I have finally started working on my employment portfolio and i'm super excited about it..I got the proofs back from the shoot I did last week and they turned out really great. now if the whole thing were all put together and finished I would be even more excited...this is my favorite shot ..there are four more of my favorites on my facebook page if you want to see them..Jen did a fantastic job (jgphotographypro.com)