OKAY. THAT'S IT.

I am so sorry. How long has it been, like 3 months? I am the worst blogger of all time. I still love myself though. You know when you point out something you did wrong, and people are like:

"But you are amazing, don't talk like that."

Like I have the worst self confidence ever. I am merely stating the fact.
I'm being silly, moving on.

Lots have happened, ol'buddy'ol pal.

For one, I am now officially a BYU Cougar! WOOHOO.

For two, my family is moving to Arizona! I feel like I was ripped of my clothes and shoved out the door, while my parents yell at me "go be an adult, its about time"

For three, I had my birthday. I am most officially an adult. According to the law. But not in my head. The other day I cried because I had to get rid of some of my clothes, on account of dejunking for the move. I need to grow up, I told myself.

For four, I started working out again, and it feels so right. Ha, it feels really really good to feel really really good. I don't know how to explain the sensation.

In other news, I FINISHED MY AP ART PORTFOLIO. 


HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF.

Here's a little sample of my concentration:

Fashion

I am so sorry. How long has it been? Too.Long.

I mean my sister already got married. That's how long it's been. That was a beautiful day! I'll post more about it later.

But... To make up for how lame I was being, I will now attempt to be forgiven in the name of fashion...

It goes like this:

Like Them? Well they are all from the same place. And they are cheap.

Go Here.

Youre welcome.

Please forgive me.
Nicole

Merry Christmas

DI wandering

I just got done watching all the Etsy short films ever to be made, and I feel like it wasn't a waste of time, really.

I feel kinda crafty.

And so I might go to the DI. But before I do so, I thought I would leave you with a little story:

Once upon a time there was this girl who couldn't make up her mind about what to draw. Soon she started to pull up pictures of beauty:

Like this piece by Gustav Klimt,

She was like, "wow, that was tasty."

But then she witnessed this:

(Egon Schiele)

And thought to herself: What a glorious world we must live in, really.

Then she saw this:

And was kinda like, THAT'S IT.

ART IS BECKONING ME.

So she started to draw.

The End.

I hope you may fall in love with something beautiful, whether it be

• Music
• A brand new pair of shoes
• Christmas
• A new friend
• A pretty person
• A dog
• Or your mom. (Love Hannah)

Peace out,

and happy 21st anniversaire for my parents,

May your marriage last as long as forever.

Nicole

Behind the wheel (and other realizations)

I feel it necessary to vent about a subject that used to be near and dear to my heart. The ol' driving jokes.

Okay, I understand, I'm not the best driver. Honestly, I have no idea how I passed my driver's test. That's a lie, I do know how. I slept through my first one with mean old Christensen, and my second one involved a lady who talked about my hair the whole time, not even watching me.

So believe me when I say that I know already. Really I do.

Some people aren't blessed in that area and I sure am not.

Take for example, the Christmas dance. It was a blast, but they asked me to drive. Fine, I will. I was pulling out after the dance, and rammed right into the car behind us. Nice. Luckily there was no damage. I was about to shout a swear word when I looked around and saw all the special needs kids watching me.. Shoot!! I yelled....20 times..

What makes this even better is this guy came up to me while I was all distressed and said;
"I'm really not all that surprised Nicky"
upset, and slightly offended, I responded; " well you've never seen my driving, so how would you know?!"
"Nicky, I was in the car when you drove us to Harvest. You went over like 10 curbs. We almost died twice!"
"Yeah... well....uh, it was more like 3 curbs...and..."
"You can slap me if you want."
Then I proceeded to slap him. (Lightly, I'm not that mean.)

So yup, trust me, if you're a bad driver, it's okay.
Just take this lovely tip:
Don't drive with people in your car.
Then they will know the truth.

<3
Nicky

Gather Round for a Christmas Story

So, have you heard about Utah's freak wind storm the other day? It may have been distracting, but it was a nice break from school, lemme tell ya.

I could show you pictures of fallen down trees, but those are only cool to me I think.

Anyways, I have a fabulous Christmas Story to share with you:

Just a few days ago I was absentmindedly getting watercolors from the front of my painting class, just enjoying the smell of paint, and soaking in the christmas spirit.

You see, my teacher wasn't there, and I missed her very much. In place of her was this weird substitute with handlebars and necklaces, plus he was old.

Anyways, I was up in the front just humming to myself when I decided to actually sing:
"It's christmas time in the city" It sounded pretty good. Probably a mix of Beyonce and Enya. It's whatever, I'm a fab singer.

Just then, directly in my ear, I hear:
"Ringaling, Dingaling"

I jumped, and turned and there was my sub. Like 3 inches away.

CREEPY.

Anyways,
Merry Holidays,
and may all of those who live in Utah have their trees still firmly placed after tonight's freak storm.

Love,
Nicole

Tea Party

This will be a fun post!
First of all, I found out this week that people actually read this blog. (!) Thanks to all of you kids for making this possible....Wow I'm a cheese dog.
Second of all, my sister had her sixteenth birthday party, she decided to have a tea party. It was a real party, we all dressed up in our mother's frilly 80's dance dresses, and our grandma's hats and gathered round a very decorated table for some soup and finger sandwiches.


We mostly spoke in British accents, which was the best part. My sister asked me to decorate the table, so here it is:

It was really fun, and luckily, my grandma already had some great porcelain and tea sets.

Here is the bestest birthday cake ever, my aunt from krazy cakes made it:

And we thought Cake Boss could make cakes. Well lookey here Buddy, Lor can dish out the cakes without the distractions of a large Jersey family with class.

Here's our birthday girl, sixteen year old Caitlin:

And to end this sweet little post, I will now show you a picture of my decorating our splendid tree. Is this a candid? Yes. Would I lie to you? Absolutely. Who smiles like that without meaning to? Santa. That's the only person. And the Joker.

Notice the awesome Senior sweats my mom bought me. I can hear your thoughts, I know I know. They are lame. That's my one pair of sweats, and they are comfy. Sue me, okay? And yes, people make fun of me:

"Hey Nicky, What grade are you in? Oh, just kidding, I now see that you are a Senior. I would have never guessed."

Har Har, guys.

Anyways, Merry-beginning-of-the-holidays-to-you,

Nicole

Read it

Happy Turkey Day!

Poor, poor turkey. That little girl looks very happy to get her hands on some of him.

Anyways, I just wanted to wish you a great day filled with full bellies, and black friday shopping.

Which, by the way, this will be my first experience with this madness. I'm scared. But oh so prepared.

Everyone better be prepared for a little whooping from my part, because I'm ready to fight for everything. Even the things I don't want, just to prove that I could. I am the Black nightmare. That's my cover name.

Ima dork.

Anyways, here's a list of things I'm grateful for:

Generic, but true goes first:

• The beautiful gospel
• My family
• An education
• art
• friends
• the lady that always works on her yard
• pumpkin shakes from dq
• the dark meat on a turkey
• music
• movies that are cheesy
• movies that are sad
• the milk after I eat my cereal
• cookie dough, with milk
• making the most ugly faces possible
• you

Anyways, I hope you ate much.

And are grateful for more.

Loves,

Nicole

Holiday

I had a beautiful most-Christmasy day today.
It involved a beautiful play called Savior of The World, and lot's of family time.
Now I'm typing by the fire.

I am so in a mood for the Holidays this year, it's wild. I am so excited for it all, especially being with family, and relaxing from the real world.

In other news, my sister had a bridal shower today! It was beautiful! Something I did notice was that she got a lot of cleaning supplies, and cooking supplies as presents. I guess that just comes with the title!

I think it won't be nearly as bad as that toilet scrubber made it look. Hopefully.
Here are some pictures:

 The sweet couple on their lovely bridal shower day.

 The yummy dessert table. Look how beautiful those silver pieces are!

 More adorable decorations, including glittery stenciled letters.

Momma and Momma Plaizier

And here's for a little holiday cheer, by ending with this print by Sandra Dieckmann:

Beautiful, huh?

Love Nicole.

Long Time

Sorry about this long wait for a post from Nicole life you are living right now.

I have been so busy, and up to the tips of my knees in Student Body things, and trying to get into college.
Eh, college. Maybe I'll just skip that section of my life. Wouldn't that be nice?
But I need an education.. Oh brother.

Anyways, beyond that little tidbit, I have some more art for ya. No need to go put on your diaper, they are only sketchbook sketches. But I thought I might as well just post them up here.

Remember that I love you, no matter how bad I am at posting.

news!

I'M THE STERLING SCHOLAR!

For those of you who don't know what that is, it is a position you apply for and interview for. They choose you based on service, achievements, and academics. Oh, and art for my catagory.

BUT I DID IT, I DID IT, I DID IT!

Sorry, but let me explain, don't take this as braggery please, but there were certain things I dreamt of doing.

Like,
Becoming the SBO Design Officer,
getting into the Springville Art Show,
and becoming the Sterling Scholar for Art

AND I DID ALL OF THEM!

So now I just have become a millionaire, go skydiving whilst making out, sing the national anthem in Swahili, and start a flash mob and we'll call it good.

FOR NOW.... but really as dumb as this sounds, I realize that those big dreams need to be in the back, behind the smaller ones that lead to it, otherwise those big ones can't even happen.
Did that make any sense?

Anyways, I'm really really happy!

But I'm off to do some work,
so goodbye!

Nicole

Learned

I don't think it's possible to ever stop, but it totally is possible to stop wanting to learn... And I'm kind of in this rut. Not learning as a whole, but definitely when it comes to my classes.

I haven't learned a single thing in Interior Design, we really just glue white paper on black all class long.

I do love my art classes though.

But enough of that. Learning is good. And I may have brought up this topic just because the graphics on this picture were cool.

Tell me if I'm weird: Do you ever look at things, like a nose on some guy, and you want to draw it?

Or have you ever watched a movie laying down and you see it sideways when you replay it in your head?

Or have you ever looked at a plant and imagined it becoming alive?

Or see what you are about to draw on the page before you draw it?

I've been thinking about the odd things I do lately, and asking people if they do this too.

So far, no luck. Let me know if any of these were yes for you.

Alright, Goodbye,

Or how my lil cousin would say it:

Peace out, Chicken Nugget

Nicole

Cheese

Right, well today has been fantastic. Not in a sarcastic way in the least, honest.

I slept in (!), watched 500 Days of Summer, Lars and the Real Girl, and Jane Eyre, and almost died of bliss. It is our UEA school break, and it couldn't have come with better timing.
I love watching movies. Per term, I'll convince myself that I'm sick that day and I'll watch movies for 12 hours straight.

I love how happy they make me, while allowing me the opportunity not to think. Mmmmmmm.

Anyway, I thought today might be just the right kind of day to let you know about my new found confidence I have in my art.

-------------------------------------->>>> It started with a particularly good interview I had with my art teachers. All of the sudden, they understood me. It was like this huge weight was lifted off of my body, and everything was dandy. My  art teacher gets my art, he even said it. We won't go into too much detail, because even the word detail kills interest, but I just had to get out that it was a fine time, and feeling accomplished is one of the  best feelings in the world.
Maybe someday I'll post more on here. Eh, we'll see.

Right when you thought that was quite cheesy, just wait:

It made me feel like my silly dreams are more real and possible than I thought.

Puke. That was a very gnarly sentence I just shared on the world wide web.

Excuse me,
but it is oh so true.

So if I had to leave you with something to ponder, and let's be honest I always do, I would want you to look at this:

Because, if this image doesn't make you a little more calm, happy, a little different than who you were before,

I suggest you scroll up and check this out again.

Sincerely,

Nicole

That Bites

Well, well, well. I would dare say that it has been a couple of weeks since I last posted, silly me (tricks are for kids). But I don't have any tricks, or very fun reasons for why it has been so long. I have been very busy. But good news comes from this: now I shouldn't have too much trouble coming up with things to post about, I've got lists.

And we'll start with nails. No, continue reading. Please, I know it sounds boring.

I have always bit my nails since I was a littlun. Young and thriving, with a bucket haircut (thanks to my sister), and short nails. I looked more like a Nicolas. In fact my great grandma told me so. Every time I saw her.

But then I grew up, my hair got longer but my nails stayed short. It reminds me of the literary term "static character" but more like "static nails". I feel like whipping out some English vocabulary might credit this story a little.

Anyway, I got fake nails recently. Weird, and very out of character of me. I made them look normal though, acrylic, but painted over. At a normal, sustainable length. I loved loved LOVED it.  I couldn't get enough, it was a great moment for me.

It lasted 2 and a half weeks. Then I ripped all of them off. Artificial things tend to fall off of me. Like my nose I got that one time, and that butt implant.. So I finally learned that I should stop with artificials, or I might lose some more.

Just move past that attempt of a joke, and realize the symbolism (another literary term) behind my story. I finally realized that my stubs of half painted nasty nast nails we part of moi. They are part of my character.

And some man who doesn't look down too often will hold my hands and he will like (or ignore, either way) my ugly nails. So yes, little brother, my hands may just look like that of a drag queen's when not taking into account the rest of my body, but all is well. I am happy.

AND FULL OF LIFE.

So just remember to stick with what you've got. I feel like I always have to end with some kind of moral, apologies.

PS. Is anyone else slightly or majorly addicted to pinterest? Can't help it, really can't.

Love,
Nicole

Sing

Today, after quite the long one at that, I was in a pretty good mood.

So I sang on the way home. Really really really loud, and I get to a stoplight. I look out the window and what to I see? (definitely an LDS reference) Two teenagers laughing at me.


Awesome, and not even in a sarcastic way. I probably knew them, but we both laughed at it so good, it's all good.

I love that at least. That I can laugh at myself, because I would be bonkers if I didn't.


So just a quick post, and hopefully some quick inspiration to laugh at yo' self.

love,
nicole

Announcement

So, it's official,  my beautiful sister and her lovely boyfriend are engaged!

What a glorious occasion!

Jakers is so cute with my Rach, and they are so in love it could make one puke. But pukes of love. Yikes, went there.

So anyways, alls I have to say about this match up  is that I completely approve, and that I am glad it's Jake. I am super picky, as any sister would be, so this is quite the accomplishment.

Anyways, here is the most cool picture of them:

They may just be mad at me, but this makes me so happy.

Love them both to pieces.

So in my own way, this is a celebratory, congratulatory, engagatory

Post.

CONGRATS YOU TWO SWOONING FOOLS.

and by fools, I mean that in the best way possible, of course.

Love,

Nicole



Oh Boy

I do apologize for talking about boys often. I'm pretty pathetic.

But I just loved this quote. Because I totally feel this way about lots of boys.

Or should I say men? totally past boys. I've moved on to that creature that actually has to shave daily, and smells like old spice, and wears suits and looks great.

But I love my high school boys.

Who am I kidding? I love all boys, yes I do.

So, yes, yes good sir, I will stare at you.

You are attractive. So what?

Love Nicole

Do it

Like

This picture is courtesy of Grace. Grace, I'm sorry if this color change is disrupting the beauty of the photo.

I just had to. It was cool to me.

I choose to be happy. SO cool. Well I think so. Because if I don't, I may just crawl up in a ball and think too much. I don't want to think too much. It makes me stressed, which doesn't make me happy.

So I thought, why not make a list of all the things that I like and focus on them. They go as follows:

• I like people
• I like listening to ABBA
• I like to be outside, a lot
• I like thrift
• I like to sing theme songs for everything I do
• I like to be in hot tubs
• I like to eat a bunch of cereal all the time
• I like to draw things,
• I like to watch movies where people kiss, or that one girl learns something she didn't know.
• I like to eat healthy, even if my lunch deceives me.
• I like to blog, I really do.
• I like to make ugly faces in pictures. Check out my fb, for more details.
• I like to smell nice smells
• I like to take naps when I have work to do
• I like to share my music with people
• I like to joke around, no matter how dorky the joke.
• I like to laugh at myself the loudest.
• I like to talk to myself in the mirror, to see what I really look like
• I like to ignore my faults.

I think I will just keep doing things I like. Then I like myself more, and I am more happy.

Try it.

• Love, Nicole