Seeing as how my commencement ceremony is tomorrow, I think photos of a trophy display I did at work are an appropriate update.

It’s so weird and cool that I have a job where my duties include making signs.  This is something I enjoyed doing since I was young, and here I am, paid to do it!

Always be the winner.

Obligatory Birthday Post
Not much has changed.

Except everything.

The picture on the left was taken about 6 year ago. The one on the right was taken about 6 weeks ago.

The picture on the left symbolizes, to me, a lot of change in my life—even the triangle/delta on the book cover points to this, delta being the symbol for change.  See that T-shirt I’m wearing? it was the first shirt I owned after 4 years of insisting on wearing only black. This one shirt was my portal into a whole world of colour (it’s a cream T with this design). And now look at me… I almost always have some colour on my person.  I began community college in 2007 as well, which started me on my journey to the ultimate childhood dream of mine—BESIDES owning a horse—going to art school.

In a lot of ways I feel like I am the same person, the same 18 year old bumbling around figuring out how to play nice with others, how to be myself without being overly-melodramatic. Over-analyzing everything, over-saturating people with my company.  My glasses have been basically the same for 7 years, for heaven’s sake! (my prescription has barely changed, too.) I even still have to ask for rides home every now and then, which really makes me feel 18 again (I finally got my license, I just don’t have a car now).

But… sometimes…
Sometimes I turn around and look back, and I see where I used to be, and where I am now, and I can’t believe it.  I’m graduated from art school, I’m living and working in Oakland, I have a laptop, and a fancy digital camera, I sew, I drink coffee, some nights I come home so late it’s early, I take the bus or Bart or even just walk around on my own. I like to think 18-year-old Olivia would be impressed (especially with my walking skillz…ah hahaha). 

So today I just want to remember this, and revel in the joy of my increasingly blessed life.

God does amazing things, and He makes a lot of my childhood—and sometimes childish—dreams come true (at the risk of sounding cheesy/über-Christian).

Anyway. That’s what I’m thinking about as I turn 24.
Also, fun fact: I was born around 2 AM, hence why this is posting at 2 AM.

Happy My Birthday!
xoxo.livia

This photo might not look like much, but this is the view from the bench I was sitting on when I was having a crisis.  Not too crazy of a crisis.  Just wondering how I was going to live in Oakland for free during the summer, and where I was going to live the following semester.

It blows my mind that I can sit in this same spot almost exactly a year later, and I realize that I DID live in Oakland for free during the summer and I DID find a house I can afford after that.  And so much else has been provided for me.

My life is so different from what it was that night last May… I’m graduated, working part time, volunteering for 2 internships, and trying to continue my own creative practises, all while maintaining friendships and connections…

Seems like God might know what He’s doing after all.

oactreepress:

More sign painting. Yay.
Sort of regret not getting the acrylic ink, this India ink is much thinner than I remember… oh well, so much for my BFA.

Relined the little tray shelf with this awesome old wallpaper I got from work. Yay.

For the first time in many years—possibly my whole life—I am not waking up to go to church before the sun rises on Easter.

It s nice, but it is also bittersweet.  Sunrise services always meant a lot to me.  We would gather together, freezing cold some years, and sing our hearts out as the sky got lighter and lighter, turning from deep navy to lilac to the softest pink, celebrating that He is risen…

He is risen indeed!

the view from my window in Oakland.

I have always loved the way the world’s colours pop against dark clouds.  Seems there is something of a metaphor there; seeing the vibrance of life even in the midst of dark times.

I lose things. I lose them, and then they come back.
I have lost this scarf twice now, and twice it has come back to me.
I lost my mustard yellow hat, and it also came back.

Sometimes the losing is not so literal. Sometimes I let something go, or forgo an opportunity, and something even greater is given back to me.
Back in November 2012 I didn’t spend $100 on a beautiful rug for my senior show, but then I found a huge area rug for free. It wasn’t what I had planned on using, but it was free, and turned out to be more perfect for my show. It was exactly what I needed.  
But wait. It gets better. 
Now, 3 months later at my place of work, someone donated a rug similar to the one I had wanted to buy (in November).  Not only did this rug not cost $100 dollars, the fact that I had given up purchasing something like it makes owning it now even sweeter.

I find this “losing and coming back” business is a theme in my life, and a testament to all the things that God has been, and is, providing for me. Boils down to Patience and Persistence, which were words spoken over me in prayer. Maybe you think that sounds stupid, and maybe you don’t believe in God, but all I can tell you is these were my experiences, and this is what I know to be true.

OK. That is all I wanted to share.

Tiny Gypsy Room Sept. 2012-Feb. 2013.
I miss the comfort I felt with these flags hanging from my ceiling (now there are only scarves, no little flags of joy), but I am glad they have been returned to their rightful owner…

I don’t care what anyone says, or that it means our air quality is sometimes poisonous, Fresno has the best skys.

Cats love it!

Done.
Still practicing my boundary-setting skillz.
Still enjoying the shape of letters.
If anyone needs me to paint an awesome calligraphic sign, I can fill all your awesome-calligraphic-sign-painting needs.

I was just complimented on my responsibility in setting boundaries in my life (specifically: saying no to making arrangements to do things I know I won’t have time to do). Two nights later: I’m roped into helping one of my housemates paint a sandwich board sign for the salon she works for.

Actually, I think that this sign-painting is good for me, it’s just taking a little longer than I expected. If anything, it makes for nice housemate bonding. Lately I’ve been wanting to hermit and seclude myself from my housemates…I’m not sure why, maybe because I’m a little homesick, and tired of making grown-up decisions… but I do think this is a good step in connecting with my housemates. I was gone so much during school that, even though I’ve been living here for about 4 months (already?!), we’re still in the “awkward new friendship” stage of living together… so getting me out of my seclusion/awkward-situation-avoidance is good.

OK. My sentence structure indicates that it is time for bed.