Saturday, September 12, 2015

ISLAND LIFE (part 2)

So this is also a long overdue post; the trip to Vashon this summer. My family (me, my parents, and my brother) roadtripped to Canada first and then came back down to Washington to visit our old home, Vashon Island. 

On the way down from Canada, we stopped at Crecent Lake. It was so hot outside, but the water was like ice. It sort of felt nice, but also sort of didn't. It was the kind of cold that made it hard to breathe when you submerged everything but your head. But I got used to it and ended up swimming around. 

I was so excited when we finally got to the island that I ended up jumping straight into the water...which ended up being freezing cold. But it was worth it to see the way the sky looked--so huge and ORANGE when you're laying so openly right beneath it. 
We got there at the perfect sunset moment, and my dad caught me adding it to my snapchat story. 
It looks like several people are  hanging upside-down and their orange hair is hanging over the hills
My dad and I are always fascinated by this; the way the water makes these beautiful patterns as it ripples and reflects the sunset. 
The next morning my mom, dad, and I woke up early and went to our favourite coffee stand 
It was so nice out, I had to put together the summer-y-est outfit I possibly could. I felt like a walking pool with the pool print hat I made (which you can purchase here)
When we went to my childhood house, it matched the pool so perfectly! I felt I'd captured that aesthetic perfectly. 
The house was so nicely decorated for my grandma's birthday, and everything felt so small! I hadn't been to this house in about four years! What a long time to be away from somewhere I used to live. 
Even the pool felt small. While in Canada, I bought an underwater disposable camera, which I've never used before; the light hits the pool so well I've always wanted to take photos underwater, but I'd never had the means. Not all the pictures turned out the way I wanted them to, but this one I love. It just reminds me of when I was little how I would always look at the pretty rippling water shadows on my feet. It felt so the same. 
My grandma really knows how to decorate a house...
Later in the evening, we went down to the bank, where you can see Mt. Raineer. It's always been gorgeous at sunset, and it did not disappoint. The way it turns pink matches my glowing heart. 
Again, my grandma is a great decorator
My mom and I were just walking through the grocery store, and happened to see Nancy, our good family friend, which is just SUCH a Vashon moment: it's such a tiny Island it's impossible not to bump into a few people you know each time you go out (which can be good or bad depending on your mood). The right photo is a photo of this cool henna-like stuff Jack's family gave us; called Jagua. I've been wanting a small-ish floral tattoo (partial) sleeve, so I showed my dad the inspiration and had him copy it so I could see if I liked it (which I really really did..). I would probably get it smaller than this, but I want it. My mom had me draw a flower on her back and now she sort of wants to get one too. So we'll see, maybe she and I will get them together sometime soon (keep ur eyes peeled for that update)
The lovely Jack. I've never seen the sun glow through anyone as much as I have this trip; look at him! Glowing. Everything is glowing on this trip; everything. 
The next day my mom and I picked Zach up from the airport in Seattle and ate dinner watching the sunset while waiting for the ferry. 
We missed each other so much, we began matching (sometimes on purpose, sometimes not)
I wake up earlier than Zach, so I would read (I was reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) and eat breakfast while I waited for him to get up
Rocky took this photo, but I had to post it; the moon lined up with Mount Raineer and it was like yet another sign from the earth to let us know we were doing good; in the right place. 
Every night we'd eat dinner out on the porch, which had this gorgeous view. 
On the way back to the ferry, we stopped and visited my uncle, who lives in Seattle, and he showed us some of his old journals: which were SO inspiring! I couldn't believe it; my whole dad's family is so amazingly creative, it's almost overwhelming the amount of inspiration I get looking at their work. I loved Stefan's journals, I feel like I rushed through them. I wish I could sit down and look at them all carefully and with purpose for hours. They are so so inspiring in the way he puts things together. It made me excited to do more art. 
On Thursday Eva, Zach and I went to my favourite place: The Goodwill Outlet, where clothes are priced by the pound and you have a giant bin as a basket. 
When we got back, we went down to the bulkhead, where someone had put up a rope swing! I don't know how safe it was, but it was definitely fun. When you swing out over the water, if you look to the left, you see Mount Raineer! 
My grandma always make these beautiful huge dinners with delicious food and always great company. 
We usually stay out at the dinner table, still snacking, chatting and getting eaten alive by mosquitos until late in the evening, while people trickle away as they head home. 
The lanterns looked beautiful as it got darker; my grandma filled them with Christmas lights. In this picture, since my disposable camera didn't have a flash, they look like stars. 
The next morning, we left early to go home. The slatted shades make the most beautiful light, and I think I'm gonna get some in my room just for the lighting it creates. Can you tell I'm obsessed with light? I am.
I felt sad to leave my family home for the last time; my grandparents are selling it, and I'm actually writing a narrative gif story about those feelings, like this post, so look out for that. I still feel weird about it, a month or so later. It hasn't quite hit me yet that it's gone. It feels like I'm losing a part of me. I feel like I lost the whole island; they feel so connected in my mind, but I have to keep reminding myself that I can still go back, even if my actually house is gone, the home is still there. 

Monday, September 7, 2015

ISLAND LIFE (part 1)

So I know these are WAY overdue, but I've been so busy! I started school again and started my newest art project: a study in isolation (read: I'm lonely af). But! I got an amazing job working for this little vintage store actually really close to my school, which has been really amazing! I love the people I work with and I'm learning a lot about recognizing vintage clothes, fabrics, and identifying what era something is from or inspired by, which is such great knowledge for me to have! Anyway, with work and school and homework and seeing Zach, I've hardly had a spare second apart from sleeping! But finally, here are the photos of my trip to Canada to meet Eryn, Emma, and Maren!
For those of you who don't know, Eryn and I have been online friends for like 4 years! And I became friends with Maren and Emma soon after. It was so cool/bizarre/emotional/amazing/fun/dream-like to see them in real life!!!! I had an amazing time visiting the city, but mostly just being with these amazing people! This is gonna be a long post, but there are just too many good photos! I couldn't choose!
On the ferry
Meeting Emma and Eryn for the first time in real life
They took me to a beach right after they picked me up from the ferry and we climbed on the rocks and took photos of each other (still shocked to see each other in REAL LIFE)
This is me and Eryn at night walking around town; our skin matched the sunset (especially Eryn), probably because we were little glowing suns ourselves; so happy that we were seeing each other.
The next day, Emma was working so Eryn took me around town, into some shops and around some tourist-y places. Here she is with some flowers. 
The last time I was traveling, I brought way too many shoes and felt ridiculous, so this time I only brought two pairs, which ended up being a bad move, because my Tevas made me look ridiculous everywhere I went. 
Eryn and I have been planning, wishing, hoping, and dreaming that we would one day be able to hang out in a CafĂ© and draw together, so we did just that, drinking coffees, chatting or not, and doodling in our journals. 
Here's a drawing I did of Eryn from a photo I took earlier that day. 
These yellow flowers were in such neat rows, I kept feeling the need to take photo after photo. 
I could make a whole series of these: Eryn taking a photo alongside the photo that was taken. I couldn't stop taking pictures of everything that was happening--if I didn't immortalize it all, I might not be sure whether or not I had been dreaming. 
The picture on the left is a bit out of order: It's a shot I took of Maren later that day in Emma's apartment. The right is in the correct order (sort of), it's the photo I drew of Eryn. Her taking a photo of me taking a photo of her. 
The photo Eryn took of me taking a photo of her. At 12:48 apparently.
We walked around and I kept trying to find the right place to photograph her outfit: this one is my favourite, because the brick matches her bra. 
This could be a whole series too, Eryn taking photos of me taking a photo of her. 
This tree had the nicest light, but I couldn't get it. Eryn and I just stood under it, taking selfies/pictures of each other and trying to capture the speckling that was probably God telling us she approved and loved our friendship.
I was borrow this amazing necklace Eryn made (and she made me one very similar!! Which I've been wearing, like, non-stop??)
Me and Maren meeting for the first time in real life! This is us pulling back after hugging, checking to make sure the other is real. 
All together finally finally, hanging out in Emma's really hot, but beautiful apartment
We're glowing! So happy :)
We moved into Emma's really beautifully decorated kitchen to cool down and snack
Eryn's beautifully decorated room!
We went shopping at a few really cute shops. These are just some selfies of the outfit I was wearing out (wearing the necklace Eryn gave me!)
The next day, we went to the beach (here we are exhibiting great beach fashion)
Eryn exhibiting more great beach fashion
This is actually the first night, but I thought it was the best way to end the post. I love these girls so much and I miss them already. 

I'll try to post more as soon as possible, I'm sorry I'm so busy :)
xo
Maya