LIFE AS I KNOW IT, 6

I apologize for not posting anything in a few weeks. You all must have missed my presence so much ;) When I go through long periods of time without updating like this, I genuinely miss blogging. I sort of have had a lot going on, but I certainly have been thinking of what I could post. I have been sort of in a slump; I haven't taken many photos recently or found any cool new music. So here's a post to fill you all in on what's been going on!

A few months ago, my town opened a CrossFit gym. CrossFit is one of those things that's currently "trendy" in the fitness realm and I've been eager to try it since I first learned what it was. The opening of a special gym solely for this type of exercise was so exciting. I told myself that I'd sign up for a month of classes but never really found time to fit it in my schedule until this month. With only four classes left of CrossFit Bootcamp, I've learned way more than I ever could have imagined I would in such a short period of time. Not only have I learned a lot but my body has come a long way. I've noticed my legs looking much more muscular and trimmed and I have gained a great deal of strength. I'm afraid that when I have to go back to working out in a regular gym that I'm not going to like it! I've been documenting all my workouts from class on a new tumblr that I made for health/fitness, so check it out if you're interested!

Spring semester started a few weeks ago and so far, so good. I'm taking the last few gen ed classes that my university requires. I enjoy the art class I'm currently taking, 2D design, so much more than drawing. This class allows for a lot of creative freedom and although the assignments are a heavy workload, I enjoy doing them. Honestly, I don't mind all that much that they can be challenging. My professor is really cool, which is a huge plus, and makes the course seem like less of a bother. I've been doing a lot of artistic exploring, if you will, and have discovered that I really enjoy working with conceptual art. The above photo is sort of an inspiration board for two pieces I have in the works. One I hope to finish tomorrow and start the other sometime this weekend. Stay tuned to see the end results! I'm really excited to see how these turn out!

Oh, and I have an appointment for the first session of my new tattoo next week! If I said I were excited, that'd be an understatement. I can't wait to see what my artist has drawn up for me. I just might post a sneak peek for you all ;)

Hope you've all been happy and healthy! xx

STYLE INSPIRATION: IN BLOOM

Christopher Kane spring/summer 2012

I just love how delicate and precious flowers are! Anytime I'm out shopping I always find myself so attracted to floral prints. Especially anything with daisies on it. They're my absolute favorite! I've been trying to find a daisy hair clip that doesn't look cheap or extremely gaudy. I swear, this is like mission impossible. One of these days I'll find one! Hopefully...

photo credit: tumblr / Ben Giles / google

STYLE INSPIRATION: SPIKED

Bedazzling garments and accessories with large, sharp spikes has become all the rage. I can totally see why! Just by pairing a few spikes with something so very feminine, like a floral dress, you instantly look like such a badass. What's even cooler is they go with practically everything! It's that perfect little addition to any outfit for a bit of an edge.

Oftentimes I find myself going through my closet and pulling something out while thinking to myself "oh, this would look cool with some studs or spikes on it." Of course it would look awesome but I don't think I can make the commitment of permanently altering any of my clothes. I guess I'm a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to that kind of stuff! Although, I have a pair of Jeffrey Campbell Martini Spikes expected to arrive in the mail soon. I think those will give me my spike fix!

photo credit: tumblr

TRANSFORMATION / INSPIRATION

This is photographer Julia Kozerski and the photos above are from her Changing Room series. Since the first photo on the left, she's lost a whopping 160 pounds. All I can say is wow. She deserves a huge pat on the back. I feel so proud for her, because I know weight loss doesn't come easily. If she can lose that much weight, then there's no reason I can't keep working towards my goal of losing twenty pounds.

Julia's commentary:

Since December of 2009, I have lost over 160 pounds. Changing Room is a selection of images chronicling my physical transformation. The self-portraits, captured with my iPhone, were taken in various locations such as store dressing rooms and within my home. They serve as a form of voyeurism, bridging the gap between public and private spaces. They also serve as personal reflections of my struggle to recognize and understand my individual identity and sense of self throughout my experience. From celebratory and hopeful, to painful sadness and confusion, the images in Changing Room give the viewer a rare look at the range of emotions I privately endured while undergoing my massive weight loss. (This work is currently in progress.)

to view the entire series, go to http://juliakozerski.com/changingroom.