018

Still happily belly dancing, and still in a photography slump. I'm having everyone over tonight for tea, roasted chestnuts, cheese, fruits, and maybe a spot of mulled wine & cider. Also, we're smoking out of my majestic hookah. I've been something of a hermit and haven't seen friends in several weeks. It happens. I'm excited to host people again. I also love getting feedback on my shisha blends. I'm thinking we'll rock coconut jasmine rose tonight.

I recently invested in Ana Paula's (Quetzalli) gorgeous handmade eyelets. She makes beautiful filigree jewelry for the modded ladies and fancy gentlemen out there. After taking a metalsmithing class, I appreciate what she does more than I would have before.

017

Semester got off to a bad start. Way too much stress. The weather has gotten cold already and my stomach has been unruly for the past 2 weeks. Still belly dancing, still having way too much fun with it. I miss frequenting Little Marakesh and having Aly's amazing hookah blends. Also: her cheesecake oasis (the works: chocolate chips, chocolate syrup, crushed nuts, caramel, honey, etc). Also also: her Moroccan mint tea with orange blossom water. I want to take a mental vacation.

That is September and the beginning of October summed up.

016

Today I welcomed a new friend into my home. Her previous owners called her Sarah, but I've taken to calling her Chai. She is sweet and very adventurous. She loves hiding under my bed!

015

My summer has disintegrated into nothing but hookah, tribal belly dance, sewing, food, and time spent with friends. I've taken some (keyword being some) photos, but I've hardly had the creative juices going in that regard. I've been pouring it all into dance and expressing myself through earthy movements. This is the healthiest I've ever been and I am loving every minute of it. There are plans to enroll in more yoga classes, my advancement in belly dance is imminent, and classes are starting in 3 weeks. Oh, I'm working a lot too. I hardly have idle time on my hands.

Tomorrow: cliff jumping and I AM BRINGING CAMERAS. I want to take more photos.

Also: I am buying lots of ethnic jewelry. I am in love with Rajasthani, Thai Karen Hill Tribe, Kuchi, Ethiopian, Turkish, and Tibetan baubles. Tribal belly dance makes me feel enabled to spend so much money on frivolous things, but they've got backgrounds and histories and I love it.

014

This fall semester I am going to be taking a jewelry-making and metalsmithing class. This is good. I already make and sell jewelry but I generally wing it and I am fairly limited by the small amount of knowledge I have. I am also probably preregistering for level 1.5 tribal belly dance as well to keep myself in shape. Also, I am taking a crapload of photography classes (duh).

This summer, once I stop working SO MUCH, I intend to get crafty and reopen my Etsy shop.

I am eating baklava and being lazy until I go back into work.

013

Today I bought some cake. Delicious cake.

I brought it home and looked at the label and thought I ordered a slice of strawberry shit cake.

012

Today I photographed glass in the studio. I placed the glass on black plexi and pinned a clean white piece of paper to the wall for a backdrop. I set a flash up on a floor-stand and pointed it at the white backdrop. All of these photos are backlit using the reflected light.

PHOTOGRAPHING GLASS IS INFURIATING. I constantly had Windex on hand and was wiping the glass off every other shot because dust would show up or fingerprints or SOMETHING. INFURIATING.