Well, graduation was this past Sunday! Very surreal, I’ll admit. One of the only memories I have of crossing the stage is thinking “Keep smiling, don’t trip! Keep smiling, don’t trip!” And I did and did not, respectively, which was very good (especially given the rather tall heels I was wearing that day). I just today received the proofs of the photos from the official photographer, and I was, in fact, smiling like an idiot.

This past week, then, has been pretty strange for me. As my job was a work study job, it ended the second I graduated, so I’ve been officially without classes and without work this week, for the first time in… ages. I’ve sort of given myself this week to just sit around before I start actually doing productive things. And by “productive things”, I mean arty things. And real life job-finding type things.

Today I ventured out to the art store for a bit of retail therapy. I think I’ll miss the Dick Blick stores when I move back up to Wisconsin. Not that there aren’t other delightful art supply stores (I’m looking at you Artist & Display and Utrecht) but I’ve gotten used to Blick. Also, I get absolutely nothing for mentioning those stores here. *laughs* I wish, right?

Bought myself some canvasses (little-ish ones) and some yarn (when did DB start carrying yarn?) for a whopping $0.57 a skein. All-cotton and perfect for dishcloths. Plus some paper that was on clearance and some bookcloth. Barely kept myself from buying a ridiculously low-priced tabletop easel. Don’t worry easel. I’ll most likely be back for you soon. 😀

I did buy a book though! I got a little more into painting this past year at school (thank you, Brent!), and while that was oil painting, I’m thinking acrylic might be better while I’m working without a studio. I really don’t want paint thinner in my room/apartment. So… a book on acrylic painting. But sort of nontraditional stuff. I don’t know if I’ll ever get into this type of painting, but who knows, right? It’s not going to hurt having the book.

Rethinking Acrylic cover

Rethinking Acrylic: Radical solutions for exploiting the world’s most versatile medium
by Patti Brady