A (Bloody) Halloween

I remember Halloween as a kid; I always wanted to be a zombie bride or monster princess or something like that. I wanted to wear a dress AND terrorize the earth with a terrible curse. Is that too much for a girl to ask? As I've gotten older, my tastes have evolved, but only a little.

This year I settled on "Ancient Goddess Who Has Received Sacrifice." I bought a pretty crème-colored dress on Amazon that is adorned with stars and moons. I could have used another outfit in my wardrobe, but I REALLY like how it turned out. I needed something magical, and at the very least I can use it again for other costumes.

Next was my tiara. I needed something spikey and regal, so I headed to Michael's and picked up these crystal beads. The wire wrapping technique wasn't too difficult, though I definitely need more practice if I want to do it again. I attached the stones to a think piece of gold wire, then attached that to a thick black headband. The end result blended in well with my hair and glinted different colors in the light.

Finally, I had to decorate my (willing) victim. I bought a plain white shirt and used different types and colors of paint along the front to simulate the blood. In my CSI fervor I also did tried interesting forms of spatter; large drops, sprays, and even a few pools. As an added bonus I put my left handprint on the side, as if I'd reached into his chest to claim my prize. It was a very Indiana Jones scene, at least how I imagined it in my head. 

With the appropriate touches of blood on our faces, the costumes were complete! Considering the fact that I've already "captured" his heart already, is it too much of a stretch for me to consume it? (Ha ha!)

While the whole thing was a very quick endeavor, with only a few hours of prep for the completed work, it reminded me of my many transferable skills. I've worked with wire wrapping beads, face painting, and even have experience from teaching forensics blood spray. I'm impressed with the final product!

Who knows what I can make next with that set of skills? 

~Kristen

Youmacon 2021

 It wasn't until relatively recently that we started watching anime in our household. Growing up I absolutely loved Sailor Moon and Pokemon, but really didn't make the connection to the anime community as a whole. With the pandemic and my lengthy recovery, we watched new things. Anime has slowly become my favorite genre of art!

Youmacon is a yearly anime conference in Detroit. It was virtual last year, so this year was the first back in-person. There were a million costumes, some I even recognized. I went with a cottagecore vibe to my outfit, though I was lazy about it because I knew we'd be doing a lot of walking. 

I took a class on furoshiki, which is the Japanese tradition of wrapping gifts and items with cloth. I didn't realize that I'd kept a Burnley and Trowbridge cloth in my bag until I realized that I needed it. It was an hour well-spent, and now I'm definitely considering using this technique for my presents this year. Perhaps even stamping fabric with paint? We'll see what I have time for...

There was so much to do/see/buy, that seven hours later we were still wandering around. I think next year we'll attend later in the day, after at least a few cups of coffee! Of course, I had to buy a few things too, and I'm finding more and more that I like the Kawaii style. Books are always necessary, no matter how many already line/overflow our shelves at home!

It took a whole day of lounging around the house to recover from all of the walking! I'm glad to see events like these make a comeback after the past year we've had. Maybe I'll convince Dom to take me to a conference out of state sometime?

~Kristen

A One Year Anniversary

Today, October 25th, marks the one year anniversary of my COVID case. My symptoms had started early, by at least 4 days, but I had the sense not to show up when I started showing a possible case. There were teachers in that district, the one where I previously worked, that showed up sick. There was no way I could do that to people I cared about. I didn't honestly think I had the virus.

But on that day I received a call from the health department, and I remember I was walking around the house. I wasn't quite exhausted yet; tired, headache, sore throat, stomachache, and other symptoms, but not the knockout tired that I experienced for months afterwards. Just as soon as the woman told me I sat down on the bed and breathed. 

I was sick, and I didn't know what would happen.

There's a part of me that wishes I could go back to that person and tell her to take the time she needs. I wish I hadn't returned to work when I was still so sick, wish I hadn't let that school district push me so hard. I wish I'd gone to the doctor a little sooner, though we were in the middle of a spike, and they were quite full. So many wishes.

Here I am a full year later. I still can't taste or smell the same; it feels like I'm eating food and someone is describing to me. I forget things sometimes. I can't balance well, even after months of working out and training with that. My doctor checked my lungs last month and noted a diminished lung capacity. She was concerned, but gave me good recommendations.

Luckily, my entire family is vaccinated, and we're safe. We did not suffer the loss of close family, and for that I'm grateful. I could have been so much worse too, and I'm glad I wasn't hospitalized. 

But still. 

I hope sacrificing my health was worth it. I don't think it was.

~Kristen

On My Bookshelf: October

With school finally swinging into motion, I’ve found myself really, really tired. Not weary, not burnt out. Tired, as if I’m doing a lot of things in one day. I am doing a lot of stuff; between the new job, working out, and advocacy work, I keep myself going all the time. On the rare occasion when I’m not cleaning or walking the pup, I find time to read.

One thing I’m really grateful for is that my new school really supports independent reading. It is discussed, brought up as a part of every English class. I make time every week so students can read what they’d like, and it is totally awesome. There’s a lot of research that shows kids who like to read become better readers. I think back to myself as a youngster, and it’s totally true.

1. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

By  Erika L. Sánchez

I focused a lot of my reading this month around Hispanic Heritage Month. You’ll notice a lot more YA novels in my reading; they come recommended for my students. I’m enjoying reading now compared to this past summer, possibly because I know students will enjoy reading them soon. Also, bonus for me supporting Latinx authors wherever I can.

This one hit close to home in so many different ways. The author loses her sister in an accident, and is forced to face a new reality where the “favorite” child is now dead. Julia grapples with her own grief while dealing with her parents’ traditional Mexican views. I can practically taste the tears.

While my life doesn’t completely parallel that of the main character, I found similarities. I know what it’s like to break tradition, to not live up to certain expectations. And of course I have a long brown braid right now! I think this is a great coming-of-age story, and I think it will connect with some of my students very well. 

2. Cemetery Boys

By Aiden Thomas

With Hispanic Heritage Month in full swing, this book was an easy selection. First, I’ll buy anything that connects to Día de los Muertos, and this book is clearly doing that. The cemetery, candles, and flower petals on the cover are clues as to the themes in this book. If you were guessing a bit of magic, of brujeria, then you guessed correctly!

The book follows Yadriel, a transgender teen in a family of brujos. He’s struggling to find acceptance from his community, and though he is able to prove his magic to himself, he still feels like he must do so with his family. Then he stumbles upon a great and terrifying secret, one that might tear his community apart. I liked this YA book for the characters, the setting, and most of all the lesson; we are who we are, we are enough.

3. Lowriders in Space

By Cathy Camper and Raul the Third

It is absolutely necessary that I read at least one graphic novel a month. While this book is more aimed for younger readers (even younger than high school), I still enjoyed the artwork immensely. I talked to my students about this one, and I said; “Sometimes you just need to look at some good art, something nice. We don’t always have opportunities to do that in this world.”

The message is straightforward; we all have talents, and are capable of following our dreams. The main characters enter a contest where each has to utilize their particular talents for them to win. It’s certainly fantastical, with elements of space and human-like creatures. But it’s an easy read and I love to support Mexican creators!

~Kristen

The Van Gogh Experience

SPOILER ALERT: If you are thinking about doing this exhibit and do not want to see any pictures in advance. To be honest I've seen previews already, but nothing quite compares to the actual experience. Dom and I went on a Sunday night, and it was the perfect mix of calm and awe before a busy week.

The first part included close-ups of different paintings with Van Gogh life facts and quotes. I REALLY liked his quotes. There's something absolutely fantastic about seeing and hearing someone through the written word. It's like reading a love note when you see a signature. 

We sat in the same room for an hour, watching the paintings come to life and move of their own accord. It was magical when the flower petals flurried around us; the sea shifted with the wind on the huge walls. The view was also different depending on where you sat; we constantly moved to experience the paintings from various vantage points. People wandered in and out, but it wasn't intrusive. The music matched the notes of color and brushstrokes. It was nothing short of amazing.

The whole experience was romantic in a sad sort of way. I've never been so close to Van Gogh's work, and it felt like we became friends. It's one thing to see a painting; it's completely different to be wholly engulfed, immersed by color and light. I would definitely go back to see this one, and I'd love to see it from different painters too!

With winter slowly looming in the distance, I'm starting to plan blog posts. There are a few projects on my desk right now. Hopefully as the rush of a new job starts to slow, I'll feel more like my creative self once again. In the meantime, stay safe!

~Kristen

Power of the Press Fest 2021

There's always something interesting going on in the Detroit area, especially if you're crafty like me! I'm constantly looking for an event to check out for a few hours. It's like I'm making up for over a year of no events...luckily there's no shortage of things to do now!

This past weekend I went with my friend Rickie to Power of the Press Fest at Eastern Market. It was fun hanging out around artists, specifically those that work with paper as a medium. There were so many examples of print art, and a ton of techniques and supplies used. We saw a few demonstrations, including paper marbling and bookbinding. Rickie was really awesome and discussed the different things she recognized; since she is an art teacher, she has way more experience with this stuff than I do.

 We were there a LOT longer than we originally planned! After all of that hard work buying art and talking about art, we enjoyed some artistic ice cream. Definitely a really sweet ending to an inspiring visit to Eastern Market. I will be going back next year for sure!

~Kristen

Glow in the Dark Putt Putt...A Most Modern Excursion

There are very few things on this earth that feel more modern than glow-in-the-dark putt golf. From the psychedelic colors to the crazy painting, it did NOT feel historic at all! Regardless, it was fun and I had to share the ridiculousness. By the way, I'm terrible at golf of any sort, and we're just lucky no one was hurt.

*We are both fully vaccinated and wear masks. We just took a quick photo!

~Kristen