Some Quality Time with Gus-Gus

This past weekend, I was able to spend some quality time with my favorite Laramie cat, Gus. These past two weeks have been really stressful as far as accomplish end-of-the year projects, papers, and tests. So, hanging and relaxing with this furry snuggle was exactly what I needed. I hope you enjoy these photos taken of him snuggling in bed with me, as well as the video of him drinking out of his vessel! Enjoy!

TheChristyBel

A Well-Written Article?

Can we just talk about how well-written this article this is?
How many times can the term, STEM, be incorporated into an article?

Apparently, not enough!

Literature Review Funnies!

Enjoy!

TheChristyBel

Making a 'How To' Video

For our Methods I class, we were assigned to make a video that portrayed: an issue within science education, introducing an engineering career, or a 'How to' video. Working with Ceira, we decided to do a 'How to' video. Since it is getting close to the holidays and thanks to Pinterest, we found a 'How to Make a Mini Robot' and we jazzed it up to being 'How to Make a Mini Robotic (Dancing) Elf! 

Enjoy! Sean, what do you think? Do I have a possible career in making robots? Haha

TheChristyBel

Feeling the Stress

I do not ever bombard my blog with complaining or negativity, but I just need to scream this out. Since I've been back, I have felt absolutely and incredibly in desperate need to be anywhere but Laramie. Being home for less than 36-hours was an absolute tease for me. My body, my mind, and my heart ache for the smell of the Atlantic, more home-cooked meals from my family, time with my brother, snuggle sessions with my besties, and hikes on my Ashland floodplains. I do not connect with Laramie in any way, shape, or form with how I connected with the Tetons or home. Maybe I am just stressed from the craze of the fall semester, but I am pretty much over my Year 2 (as of right now). How do TSS folk try to complete their Year 2 in such a short period of time? I want to literally slit my wrists on how stressed I am, well on how tired I am. The next 11-days cannot go by any faster. I just want to be home, be with positivity and a sense of place that I feel most 'me.' The light at the end of the tunnel is packing up my bag and flying back East to a sense of 'community' and 'place' that makes me feel like the true ChristyBel. Right now, its not Laramie, that light is back east, it is Delaware. Please, hurry up, there's no place like home.

I apologize for the word vomit. I'm just feeling the need to be home. So soon, CBel, so soon.

TheChristyBel

Tuckered Out From Turkey Day Travelling

TheChristyBel Tuckered Out From the Turkey Day Traveling
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet
Found This Gem on His Phone - He Took It Before We Left Boulder to Head Back to Laramie
When He Picked Me Up From the Denver Airport

Stay Beautiful, Philly!

My Thanksgiving Break was too short, literally, too short. I was only able to indulge in a fraction of its beauty for about 36-hours. But it was worth it. Being able to spend time with my family, my home, my wonderful little state, and of course, my bed, was incredibly worth the short time I was able to get a taste of home. As I sit here in the airport waiting for my flight back to Denver, I was able to gaze at a wonderful sunrise. Philly, you are incredibly beautiful. Sure, the Tetons and the Wyoming landscape brings wonderful sunrises, but there will always be something more about Philly's sunrise that just makes me so incredibly happy! I cannot wait to see you again, Philly, in 19-days! Stay beautiful!

TheChristyBel

A Philly Sunrise Waiting for My Flight Back to the Forever West!

Delays, Delays, Delays

Oh, you know...just stuck in Denver right now, waiting for my flight to stop being delayed.

Philly, we're so close to seeing each other.

Don't lose hope!

There's no place like east coast home!

TheChristyBel

Ceramics II: Last Problem of the Semester - Composites

For the last problem of the semester, we were assigned to construct a composite piece. A composite piece is made of constructing pieces out of several thrown pieces or sections. A composite can also be called a sectional piece. We were asked to design 5-6 ideas that consisted of at least 4-thrown pieces. In the end, we would only construct one composite. The composite needed to be at least 15-inches in height.

I decided to continue my nature-theme in my art and decided to construct a tree out of an 3/4 altered form (where the cylinder closes at the top - resembling a cone), two bowls put together to resemble a globe/world/Earth, and to present the entire piece on a plate. This took two attempts to construct.

My first 'draft' did not come out well and resulted in a lop-sided globe! So, another 6-hours later, I threw more pieces and they came out a lot better when I started attaching them to each other. It's a good thing, Margaret says to throw more bowls that you need...insurance!

But after throwing the new pieces, I constructed the main profile in the studio: two bowls as the globe and the cone. I also extruded a bunch of clay rods to break apart and morph them into branches. I then decided to take the pieces home and assemble in the courtesy of a calm environment. This really meaning: I like to do art in PJs or just not wear pants at all! Haha.

Let me tell you, placing branches on the cone on top of the globe was really challenging. I had to use an assortment of chairs and household objects to help hold up all the branches while they dried onto the bigger clay body. I was literally sitting on the floor (with no pants on) and using my hair dryer to dry the branches so they can become more sturdy to hold on its own. After a night and all afternoon of drying, I finally grew the courage and faith to let the piece stand on its own...and it succeeded! The next test: drive it back to the ceramics studio...pray to the heavens above (right about now)!

 I carefully picked it up and placed it into one of my moving boxes. Drove about 2-miles an hour all the way to the studio, which is across town from my apartment. Slowly walked it through the doorway and into the studio. Challenge accepted. Second challenge: attach the bottom plate! That took me holding up the tree while my friend, Aaron, got on the floor and scraped and etched into the bottom for us to score and slip the two pieces together! Second Challenge Accepted! Third Challenge: Survive the night without anything holding it up! After wrapping it in a plastic drape cloth, I came back the next morning for class to see it had survived! I showed Margaret (our teacher), who was super pleased, and I added the last touch to the piece: the carving of the world on the globe part. It also was waxed with the cold wax resist to help with the drying of the branches. Now, it currently rests on the finished shelf ready to bisque-fired!

Cross your fingers it survives!
Don't worry, I'll keep ya posted!

TheChristyBel

A Doodle A Day: Days 1 & 2

Trying to do at least a Doodle A Day...

Brain Breaks!

Enjoy some art from CBel!

TheChristyBel

Brain Breaks = Art Breaks

Sometimes, you cannot just do work all the time. 

Sometimes, you just need to let your hands go free.

Let them take over a piece of paper.

Listen to some music. 

Add color. 

Don't think, just draw.

You'll like the outcome. I promise.

Go DRAW.

 TheChristyBel