My Birthday

I had a wonderful Birthday. My roommates cooked a really nice dinner for me and Jon. Jon is in the Drycreek HGH and we both share the same B-day, Oct 19th. After dinner we had cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. Then we went to go check out a movie to watch. I thought it would be funny if we all went to the Hollywood Video movie store together since there was like 12 of us. Lauren was dressed up early with a cute outfit and high heels. She had changed into some comfty sweat pants when she heard we were watching a movie. I told her to come with is because we were all going together. By the door were her high heeled shoes...so we dared her to just put those on and lets go already. So she did. Yes, people at the movie store we looking at our large group with weird looks on their faces...and especially at Lauren since she was wearing bright pink sweatpants with stilletos! Oh, and we didnt stop there...yeh we took pictures. Just incase we didnt embarrass ourselves enough. Jons Mom was in town that weekend and was there for all of this as well, she probably thinks we are crazy. Haha, but I think she enjoyed it. The next day we had bible fellowship and then later that night some of us went to the beach and sang around a bon-fire. I received birthday texts and calls that really blessed me. The best part of everything is the card my Mom sent me. Has Her, my Dad, and my Brother's voices recorded on it telling me Happy Birthday. I loved it! It kinda scared me at first because I was expecting a song and then it was my Mom. But it was so cute and I cried, but in a good way. Ok, so heres so pics from my B-day weekend:

Visual Communications

Visual Communications is what my major is in school at FIDM. I am going to post some things below that come from their website (http://fidm.com/) that I thought might be helpful to some of my family and friends that didnt really understand what Visual Communcications was and was interested in knowing.

What is it?
The Visual Communications program offers its students a diversified, creative business background in visual presentation, exhibit/trade show design, retail and special event display, and store planning, with an emphasis on the fashion and entertainment industries. Students benefit from exposure to practical and theoretical visual merchandising techniques. Courses include presentation design, color theory, concept visualization, merchandise trend analysis, and computer graphics.

What careers do people usually do with this degree?
Creative Director
Creates the visual image of a store or chain of stores through the use of store displays, advertising campaigns, fashion events, store graphics, and fixturing. Tremendous variety of work and some travel.
Store Visual Manager
Responsible for creating a visual theatre in which merchandise will be sold. Determines which colors, props, and fixtures will best complement the store’s image and merchandise.
Fashion Stylist
Works with advertising, editorial, and special events staff to select appropriate wardrobe, props, and accessories to be used in photos, videos, television, movies, and live performances. May also organize and direct fashion shows.
Exhibition Designer
Responsible for designing and often organizing events such as traveling exhibits, trade show events, fashion shows, and galleries. Often involves a diverse clientele and the opportunity to travel.
Freelance Visual Designer
Hired by specialty stores, boutiques, and wholesale showrooms to create exciting windows, displays, and appropriate atmospheres for the merchandise being sold.

What classes do you take to obtain an AA in VisCom?
Associate of Arts Professional Designation Curriculum

Course Description Units
GNST 1230 Color & Design Theory 3
GNST 2980 Professional Practices 3
MMKT 1550 Marketing & Brand Development 3
VCOM 1250 Survey of Visual Communications 3
VCOM 1350 Ideation Sketching 3
VCOM 1380 Introduction to Digital Imaging 3
VCOM 1550 Critical Concepts for Visual Communications 3
VCOM 1850 Trends: Past, Present, & Future 3
VCOM 1900 Drafting Techniques for Visual Presentation 3
VCOM 2180 Computer Rendering 3
VCOM 2220 Materials & Props with Lab 3
VCOM 2330 Visual Presentation 6
VCOM 2350 Computer Graphics 3
VCOM 2380 Advanced Digital Imaging 3
VCOM 2480 Marketing Events 3
VCOM 2660 Brand Product Placement –OR– 3
VCOM 2720 Lighting Techniques
VCOM 2780 Portfolio Preparation & Presentation 3
VCOM 2800 Home Product 3
VCOM 2820 Fashion Styling & Coordination 3
VCOM 2880 Technical Planning for Visual Presentation 3
Total Units of Credit 63

**A professional designation is when you already have a degree from another college and you dont have to re-take your core classes (i.e. english, math, etc). You only have 15 months of schooling rather than 24 months, yet you obtain an AA in VisCom the same.

Something to Remember Daily

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

-Romans 12:2

I Miss These Guys...

My Classes at School this Quarter

Color & Design Theory

Marketing & Brand Developement

Survey of Visual Communications

Ideation Sketching

Intro to Digital Imaging

Moms Visit

Im so thankful that my Mom got to come visit. It was so nice to see her. I was so excited before she got here...I cut alot of flowers and put them all over me and Laurens room. Then I made her bed and got her some chocolate from me and my moms favorite chocolate place...Godiva. On Thursday when she came in I took her to have coffee at the Bonadies, then we had lunch at the drycreek house, then we went down HWY 1 for the afternoon, and then we had dinner in the village of Capitola. On Friday I took her into the city to see my school and go shopping. She didnt end up finding anything she wanted to buy but we settled for a treat from the cheesecake factory. We came home ate dinner with my roomies and then had fellowship at my house. Saturday we went to the beach and then that night had a wonderful dinner at the Coads house. Sunday we had fellowship at the community center then we had lunch with some of my roommates and Pam, an old friend of my Moms. The rest of the day was relax time. Then I took her to the airport Monday morning. Here are a few pics from her trip here:

HWY 1:












At my School:

Nanny Job

I now have a permanent Nanny job that I will be working a total of 18 hours between 3 families. God really has blessed me and supplied all my needs. This job is fitting perfectly with my HGH house schedule and my school schedule. I really like it too. I love working with kids. Each family has two kids. I watch Emma (5) & Cole (9) on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays from 3-6. I pick them up from school and take them to their activities and then take them home and work on homework for a little bit. I watch Joseph (almost 1, and soo cute!) and Sofia (4) on either Monday morning or Friday morning (rotates) from 9:30-2:30. And then I watch William (4) and John (9) on Wednesdays from 2-6. They are great families and of course it can be difficult at times but for the most part its pretty fun.

Game Night

Prank on the DryCreek House

We decided to set up a bedroom scene in their front yard. We had a bed with the comforter, sheets, pillows, a head board and even a teddy bear. We had a rug beside the bed with slippers on it. We also had a night stand with a lamp, flowers, kleenex, a cup of tea (yes we really put tea in it with the tea bag string hanging out), and a frame. The frame said "Vacation 2007, my family & I". Inside the frame was a picture of me, all my roomies, and John Wayne (we have a life size poster board of John Wayne). Oh! I forgot to mention the most important part...John Wayne was in the bed with the teddy too. So we set this all up at the Drycreek house. We had to do it while they were in fellowship so they wouldnt catch us. Well, a few days went by and we wernt sure how they had found it or what had happened. I guess they decided to set up all the stuff we had set up at their house over at the Curtner house that way the Curtner house would think we played a prank on them and then they would prank us. Haha, very sneaky. It was a good idea but it didnt work, the Curtner house ended up finding out that the Drycreek house did it. It was all alot of fun though. I have a few pictures below of the prank and a video. We were in such a hurry I really didnt have time and it was so dark I couldnt really see what I was taking pictures of. The video you can barely see but I think its funny. Its me in the beginning saying "this is how you do a prank", then you see Mary running away and Kate. It wont upload right now so I will have to post it later.

A pic of us talking about what to take in the garage:


Matt loading up the car:


Two pics of the prank set up at the house: