Post entries about my zombie school adventures for my 43Things friends

Well, I’ve been working my butt off on another HUGE ASS PROJECT this semester. This time it’s turning my friend into Elvis… this is a VERY lengthy progress. It’s getting me stressed out and combined with getting my tooth pulled and being out of commission thanks to pain + vicodin for a full week, I feel so far behind and very stressed. I decided to take today off to really relook through my priorities and focus on the future.

One thing I’m realizing more and more is that I really love making women look beautiful. And with all the fun I have with make-up efx, I find the job to be more stressful as I don’t have real confidence in myself than make-up where I find lots of joy.

My current plans are to finish school here, move, go back to school to get my esthetician license, save up for a nice camera, work on building a photo room and start taking all my own photos my self…. while making women look and feel beautiful. That’s really my ultimate goal.

Well, all my hard work from my old semester really paid off. I had a lot of good work towards the end, the most impressive was this:

I’ll try post some of the other stuff soon. I’m getting to where I want to be, which feels really, really, really nice. Actually, one of my friends told me today that he secretly sees me as one of the top students of my class. That my work is consistent and has grown so much that I’ve really made a name for myself amongst some really awesome students. I don’t know if I think I’m as high as this person said I was, but I do think I’ve been climbing up the ladder to join the kids I never thought I’d compare to slowly but steadily. It’ll happen…. even if it’s 5 years after I’m gone, I believe it.

New classes are out and I’ve been using my study minder already to keep me above on track. Feels good to know how much I have to do and to do it.

My gothic makeup got first for the week. They said the judges all chose it without any competition which felt really good. Also, my hard work is paying off more and more as I get better and better at everything at the school.

I’ve been drawing more and more for a website. Doing art for the people on the site. It’s nice to be drawing again and I’m slowly getting better. :)

I’ve been so sick though lately that I’ve been missing a lot of class, which really sucks. :( Hopefully I’ll be back on top again soon!!

So, it’s no secret that sculpting has been my week point since I got her, but I’m proud to announce that I’m finally becoming a good sculptor!! After a few chats this week between Greg Nicotero who actually took time to look and talk to me about my work a bit and Will who talked about how the first six months at school hardly shows as much growth as the next six months, but the year after you get out is where you’ll see your most growth, I really feel like I can do this. I was so afraid when I came here that I wouldn’t be able to and no matter how hard I worked, I really didn’t believe in myself, but Christian did.

Having Christian’s little voice in my ear along the way totally helped me get to the point that I’m at right now and I’m so thankful for that. I really feel like if I keep working hard, I’m going to become the sculptor that I really want to be. Go me!! :D

And I now present you with, my cat Bowser:

There’s more photos at my deviant art page

When Erik saw it he spent a lot of time looking at it in the “Wow, I’m really appreciating your work and how far you’ve come” sort of way. Then he shook my hand and told me that I did a good job. Even Jerry, our department head, spent a lot of time looking at it and telling me it was really good.

I feel like a million dollars right now. And like I will get my dream of owning my own makeup effects studio. :D

I got to do this beautiful makeup on one of my favorite Savini students: Kayla. And I had a hair stylist on hand to do the hair for the look too!! It turned out fantastic!

My wizard appliance turned out even better than I’d hoped for and a lot of people really liked it. I feel like I’m starting to get to the point where I believe I can become a good sculptor… for all the times Christian has told me I can, it’s nice to finally be really believing it…. excuse the TERRIBLE photo.

Got to chill with Greg Nicotero (and by chill with, I mean talk to briefly) today and yesterday. He’s so laid back and approachable and very helpful and informative. He definitely brings more hope for the future to my vision. I’m excited for the life ahead of me once again… instead of just scared. I owe that to this school

I downloaded this program called StudyMinder to help me keep track of how much homework I need to do each night. It’s very helpful except that I started it on my two busy days….

Hopefully I’ll be able to do some catch up over the weekend. Ugh…. and my day off.

Other than that? Relationship is going amazing!! This semester is all about sculpting which is my absolute weak point here, but I’ve been sculpting my little butt off and my work has definitely been showing improvement.

Also, talked to some people about living costs in California and it really sounds like it shouldn’t be TOO bad for Christian and I out there. That makes me feel A LOT better. :D

We’ve turned my fashion and performance class into a competition and ever since then (yesterday) I’ve been in complete nerves over it. Ugh. I’m completely doubting my look from yesterday which was a modern day Marilyn. It’s beautiful, yes, but when everyone else updated their look… they went a lot more edgy. I wanted to keep that classic look and just update the colors to make it beautiful in today’s world. I hope that’s good enough to get me a good ranking.

The makeup

Also:

In case I’m ever worried that I never take risks in makeup…. my harajuku makeup was pretty bold… especially with the bottom lash on the one side being fake. My choice on a simple Marilyn was INTENTIONAL. I need to remember that and stand by it in my head

My latest sculpture:

Check out more of my works at my deviant art page:
http://shortstackefx.deviantart.com/

Also more views of the stuff I posted!! :D

This is why I’m here. In Pittsburgh. At Douglas Educational Center. In the Savini Makeup Progam. Spending tens of thousands of dollars.

I had one of those days yesterday that really reminded me why I was at this school. The longer I am here, the more I realize that what I really want want to do when I get out of here is beauty makeup… fashion makeup. I really love making women look beautiful. And more importantly: feel beautiful.

And I’m pretty damned good at it…. getting better every week. :)

... are a bitch.

I’ve been so damned busy. I know I’m doing well, but all the work seems so overwhelming. I need more balance. Mostly I’m worried because each semester seems to be harder than the last from other students comments. I know I have what it takes, but I still just to need to hear someone else say it.

I’d like it to be Christian or at the very least someone from my class, but I feel so foolish asking… like I lack the faith in myself. Which really isn’t true. I just want to hear what I know already from someone who isn’t my mother.

I feel so super bad that I’ve not been around more. I’ve wanted to post here it’s just that I only get computer time once every 3rd day or so and then it’s only brief. To keep closer tabs on what I’m doing you can check out my deviant art page:

http://shortstackefx.deviantart.com/

also check out the beating heart I made:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USQyqfEuSws

I’ve been working my butt off and I’ve never been happier. Every day is a new adventure here and I love it