New Beginnings

UPDATE: I have moved! Please find me over here: www.virginialucashart.com

 

Hi, all --

Happy it's Friday? Gosh, I am. Tell me your fun weekend plans! I have a brunch date with a girlfriend (at one of my favorites) and I might be going to this movie with the boy. I somehow pulled something in my neck (I currently move my head like a robot - it's real cute) so I need to fix that with some good stretching at the gym. Speaking of, I had a bad case of the hiccups late last night and my neck hurt so much with  each  startling hic-cup, I totally lost my marbles and nearly passed out in laughter. And there was Patrick, video-ing the whole awkward experience on his phone. Pat-hicca-rick! He promised he'd delete it after showing his fam. (Greaaat, haha!) Other than that? I have a few errands to run and projects to work on, including getting the new site ready for its launch (can't wait!), but I also have a very important date with my couch, a fluffy pillow, and the July issue of Real Simple that arrived yesterday. A little R&R is definitely in store :)

:: LINKS ::

I am currently obsessed with this blogger's style.

refuse.

but I can't wait that long!

rare photos of celebrities. (my favorite might be Jennifer Aniston as a little girl.)

I love it, too.

if you want to be successful.

my mom & I now own matching pairs of these sandals. everyone is so right, they're as comfy as can be!

my new favorite Instagram account... :)

enjoyed this post - "what is your unique selling proposition?"

5 gifts guys secretly want for Father's Day. (don't forget - it's Sunday!) ...likin' this gift guide, too.

look how much the Superman 'S' has changed over the years.

this jewelry pouch would make an incredible gift.

oolala! i love this bikini, this one-piece, & this maxi from asos.

i leave you with this.

p.s. This is my 665th post. Which is crazy. I honestly never intended to stick with this silly hobby & outlet for so long... for anyone out there considering starting a blog, do it.  I realize that my future chapters might be a far cry from the one I'm in now and to have this to look back on? It's priceless. I have thoroughly enjoyed blogging as the little lady in the big apple and will never, ever forget what personal doors this site has opened for me. How will you find my new website? I will update this when it's live with a link to redirect you. Please check back next week. And hold on, why am I even moving to a new site, you ask? Am I leaving the city and thus, just ditching the name? No. Not yet, anyway. It is time for me to take a step forward in my personal endeavors; my new website will be the foundation and platform for my business, From the Hart.

 

Cheers to new & exciting beginnings! I hope you can follow along...

 

- little lady

It's Almost Time...

...to say goodbye to Little Lady!

original header :)

Tomorrow is my last official day as the little lady in the big apple. (sad!) Before I publish my final Friday post before we make the transfer (...we're bringing all the old posts with us to the new "home" in case you want to look back like I did this week and snicker at how awkward I was still am.), I wanted to circle back to the very beginning... October 16th, 2009 when I needed to vent about my stupid radiator and thought heck! I'll start a blog.

 

I Hate My Radiator

First of all, welcome to my blog! I graduated from college in 2007 and am in the process of learning what it's like to be a grown-up, a triumph I highly recommend avoiding for as long as possible. I do not necessarily know all that I intend for this blog, but I hope it can at least provide a sort of "inside scoop" on my life as a young woman in New York City -- or better said, a little lady in the Big Apple.

Now on to more important things -- like how much I hate my radiator.

There comes a time each fall in NYC when your landlord or superintendent deems the temperature cold enough to turn on the heat. On such day, you wake up circa 4:00AM to a very loud and disturbing noise. In your delirious state, you search your shoebox-size-of-a-room for the intruder you're certain has stolen your trusty tool bag (a gift you received from a concerned relative after you confessed you used a hot pink stiletto as a hammer), emptied its contents and gone to town with smacking every object in your vicinity in hopes of terrifying you before actually killing you.

If this is your first cold season in your city apartment, then it may take longer for you to realize that there is no actual intruder.

Good luck with that.

If this a repeated offense, it will soon dawn on you what is actually making that horrid noise.
Yep, it's that makeshift surface you've been using all summer as a strategic storage space.
Yep, it's that object under which you will never be able to keep clean no matter how hard you try.
Yep, it's located way too close to where you sleep.
Yep, it's your radiator.

In addition to the clanking and hissing radiator, you must also now avoid the few hot water pipes that run floor-to-ceiling in various nooks of your apartment. Normally, they are tucked away in places you don't usually go -- like that corner of the kitchen that has the weird smell you can never quite identify.

Or if you're like me, you may not be so lucky.

I recently moved into my own tiny apartment on the border of Chelsea and the West Village and although this is my third winter in NYC, it's my first in my new place. I really do love my apartment, but I do have to endure a bit of "quirkiness" in lieu of paying even more of a fortune for rent. One such quirk is the fact that I have a room with a purpose entirely dedicated to the toilet. Not surprisingly, I call this room "the toilet room". The bathroom, a completely separate room on the other side of the apartment, contains the shower and sink. The toilet room contains the toilet --- oh and four walls, one of which my legs are forced up against --- oh and suitably, a hot water pipe. Perhaps they (not really sure who they are, but someone had to do this to me) could have placed the hot water pipe behind the toilet or maybe they could have realized that the 2x3 foot room may not be the prime spot for a heat source. Undoubtedly they decided it would be more fun to think of us all roasting while using the loo. It's a surprise the landlord didn't advertise the layout as having a "toilet room and sauna all-in-one"! The hot water pipe runs inches from the built-in toilet paper dispenser, located directly next to where you already have to somehow position your legs. Not only do I now have to stumble up the two stairs and back in to the coffin-sized room every morning, I have to do so carefully so as not to burn myself on the scalding hot water pipe! You better not grab for the toilet paper too fast, ladies and gents, because that innocent-looking fixture WILL burn you. And with me being a "little lady", it's even more of a sight to see my 6'3" giant-of-a-boyfriend make such attempt.

So yes, I hate my clanking/banging/hissing/clicking radiator. And yes, I hate the not-so-conveniently placed hot water pipes. And if you're unfamiliar with anything other than central heating, you guessed it - I hate you too.

until next time,
-g

500th Post: Likes and Dislikes of Blogging

:: Welcome to my 500th post! ::

Today also marks three years since I started this silly little blog of mine.

{original header}

If it's okay with you, I'd like to just get real here for a minute and discuss a few things that I like and don't like about blogging.

We'll start with what I don't like. 

I don't like when people assume they know everything that is going on in a blogger's life simply by reading his or her blog. There are plenty of things I choose not to share on here and I'd bet the same for others. And they're probably the things and feelings and happenings that you should know about if you're a friend. I think we all need to remember that reading blogs and updates on other forms of social media are not a replacement for asking and knowing how someone is doing. It's easy to just read a status, a post, a tweet and pretend that we are somehow still connected to that person even though we have made no sort of effort in interaction. For someone you hardly know or don't even know at all, that's perfectly fine. And you probably do feel closer as a result. But let us make it a point to not be so lazy in our closer relationships. We are all at fault, including myself. Pick up your phone and call someone. Send them a letter or an email and start with, "how are you?" Be the one to schedule a date or a visit. It's hard enough to make new real friends. Don't let the ones you already have slip away because you made no effort in maintaining the relationship. While my blog can allow my family and friends to see glimpses of my life, I deeply cherish all the separate talks and letters and emails and visits that allow for important and less surface-level conversations. Besides, my blog is mainly me yakking about my cooking ineptitude, latest doodles, and my current shoe obsession. Please don't let that be a reflection of the extent of my story or what I view as important in my or my loved ones' lives. 

I don't like when people read blogs and think that the lives of the bloggers are "perfect." It's an easy misconception when many times, you're only seeing small portions of a bigger picture. Don't envy what looks like a happier situation...'cause it's not. Even the most perfectly-styled-fashionista blogger has her disheveled days in sweatpants. Even the most in-love-happy-go-lucky couple argues and fights. Even the person with, what seems to be, the perfect job has days where he or she absolutely hates it. Don't ever interpret someone's entire life based on their blog, assuming they don't have their own struggles. We're all battling something.  For the record, my life is far from perfect. And I am far from perfect. I have insecurities. I have days when I wake up and want nothing to do with anyone. I am stubborn. I make mistakes. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least a little tired. Right now? I feel exhausted. I'm still trying to figure life out. The one thing I think I've figured out? Is that I know I will never have it all figured out. 

Maintenance. I don't have time to squeeze in a hair appointment let alone time to sit here and make all the adjustments I envision for this blog and my main website. But I know I need to tweak some a lot of things with the layout and links and go back and clean things up. One day! :) Blog maintenance is --simply put -- difficult. I just had to buy more Google storage and I'm in the process of figuring out this iCloud business at home to back up all of my work. It's exhausting trying to keep up in a way that allows for an easy system that has room to grow. I can't even imagine the behind-the-scenes work professional bloggers must do. Keeping up with blogs and social media can be tiring, for sure. Do you ever wonder when we'll all just throw our hands in the air and stop already? But seriously, how long do we have to tweet? 

Pinterest. I love it, but I hate it. Nowadays with Pinterest, it can be way too easy to just regurgitate others' ideas. Some people host entire blogs that never include anything original. Yes, blogging is a conversation of re-sharing ideas -- and I find Pinterest and other blogs extremely inspiring and enjoy including my favorite finds here -- but bloggers (myself incuded) must sit back and show more individuality with adding more of our own photographs, designs, images, discussions, and ideas. We can't let Pinterest and other sites impede our creativity.

And what do I like - better yet, love, about blogging?

I love giving myself assignments. It's like homework with zero repercussions. You're just putting something out into the world to be read and if people don't like it, oh well. As a kid, I used to play teacher and pupil simultaneously (what happens when you have no siblings your age and the farm pets don't speak English). What kid makes herself worksheets to fill out? And then grades them? And purposefully makes mistakes for the "teacher" to have something to correct? For fun?! Yep! That'd be me. There's something very exciting about thinking, "let's find some great gift ideas to suggest!" and following through with that idea. In a weird way, it has pushed me in other areas of my life. If I truly decide I'm going to do something, no matter how big or small, I surprise myself and actually do it. 

Meeting new people. I am aware of the fact that the majority of my readers are either friends, my mom, people I'm connected to on Facebook & Twitter, my mom, and people that stumble upon my blog from Googling things like "crying little girl" and "funny orange kitten pictures" (two actual traffic sources from yesterday). But there is a group of you out there, that for whatever reason, have stuck around despite not knowing me any other way. Honestly, some of the most rewarding moments from this blog have been emails I have received from readers...people that are seeking advice on moving to this big scary city and whether it's physically possible to find an apartment (and I sit down and spend hours on an obnoxiously long response because I know how much I could have benefitted from that help when I moved here)...or people that present other blogging opportunities and inquire about hiring me for  custom illustrations, etc. It's extremely rewarding to feel like I've pushed "little lady" past the eyes of my mom ;) and I can try to help / give / motivate / inspire others.

Keeping track. As Patrick can attest, I have the world's worst longterm memory. On the contrary, he remembers everything. Like what I was wearing and how I was standing when I met him in 2005. He's told me before, but not surprisingly, I can't remember! Guess that's why I keep him around. ;) In all seriousness, when I look back on my past, so much of it is just one. big. blur. I remember some vivid images/memories and time frames, but most of it is jumbled in no particular order and based on pictures I have seen since. It's pretty sad and pathetic, really. I absolutely love, though, that I can look back on old posts from these past 3 years and read about what I was up to and remember how I was feeling in that particular moment when I wrote it. It brings it all back and helps me keep track. And for that, I am very thankful.

Thank you to anyone out there that reads my little blog. Thank you for keeping in mind that much of what I discuss is just silly nonsense to lighten our days. Thank you for remembering that there is a lot more to the lives of the bloggers you read about. Thank you, if you're another blogger, for joining me in striving for originality within our posts. And thank you, little lady in the big apple, for surprising me these past 3 years...and giving back so much in return.

until next time,

g

A Little Game of Tag

My niece tagged me in this questionnaire and I figured I'd give it a go! I have to list 11 random facts about myself followed by the answers to 11 questions she asked. Then I'll tag 11 other bloggers with all new questions in attempt to keep the sharing momentum going.
(my goal is for at least 1 out of 11 to continue!)

here we go...

random facts about the little lady:
1. I can make an astonishingly accurate pig impersonation.
(My chicken isn't too shabby either.)
2. I never went to kindergarten.
3. I played Pachelbel's Canon in D for my last piano recital in 8th grade. I'd love to learn it again.
4. I don't know how to ride a bike.
5. One of my proudest moments was calling my dad from boarding school to tell him, through tears, that I was valedictorian.
6. I'm not sure what's worse, my cooking skills or my memory.
7. My "birthmark" is a large knot on my head.
8. I've been wearing a retainer for nearly thirteen years and am told it will just pop off at some point. yay?
9.  My parents tried to have me for five years with the help of fertility drugs. Doctors concluded it was time to give up and they reluctantly decided to stop all efforts. Little did they know my mom was already pregnant. :)
10. I am a Christian.
11. I became an aunt at the age of 8 (to the wonderful little lady who tagged me!) in an Army base hospital in San Antonio, Texas. I now have a total of 2 nieces and 8 nephews.

questions:
1. What did you have for breakfast this morning?
Cheerios + banana + coffee.

2. Would you rather stay up late or wake up early?
I'm a night owl, for sure. Maybe it's some sort of bizarre feeling of rebellion, but I'll often find myself sprawled out on the floor with a craft project in the wee hours of the morning and have to literally tell myself to go to bed. I'd rather be a morning person, but I just don't see it happening.

3. If you had to suddenly leave your house and only take three items with you, what would they be?
In an emergency? Well, if I can finish the process of saving all of my pictures digitally, I'd either grab my computer or external hard drive. I'd also take a piece of sentimental jewelry - something like the necklace my dad gave me made with a rare $20 gold coin from 1888 that his grandmother left him when he was 18. Oh, and I'd take a framed letter from my brother. I have two of his letters hanging in my apartment (they're works of art, really) so now that I have this imaginary notion in my head that I have to pick just one, I'll be staring at them for days to try & pick my favorite. Thanks, questionnaire. ;)

4. What was your favorite thing to do as a child?
Draw. If a grown-up gave me a sketchpad or a coloring book, I was distracted for days. I was also unreasonably infatuated with the miniature lands of Polly Pockets. Oh, and I really loved my Puppy Surprise and Kitty Surprise stuffed animals that had baby puppies and kitties wedged inside their velcro-fastened bellies. If you know what I'm talking about, I like you.

5. How do you see your life in five years?
Crikey, I'll be 31. If you asked me this question 5 years ago, I'd blurt out exactly what I'd be doing 5, 10, and 20 years from then with obnoxious certainty. But I've learned I have very limited foresight and have given up trying to predict anything.  If I think back to my world turning upside down before moving to NYC, I realize I can't even remember making the decision TO move. It's like things just happened; I acted instead of reacted. I have an inkling that in 5 years many things will be different. To answer the question, though, I see a big ol' blank page. But what do I hope? I hope I still have all the people I love. And I'd really like to have a pet - or at least a coffee table - by then.

6. Where is your favorite place in the world?
Camp Alleghany in the mountains of West Virginia near where I grew up. I spent 9 summers there, 8 as a camper and 1 as a counselor. It's a magical place that will always hold a lot of significance in my upbringing. I was the youngest camper my first year at only seven years old -- too little to even reach the shower handle. I was raised in West Virginia, but I grew up at Camp Alleghany.

7. Would you rather be spontaneous or do you like to have a plan?
I like to just fly by the seat of my pants and go with the flow!

Aaaand if you believed that, you don't know me at all. I wish I was that fun of a person to just do whatever and be all spontaneous, but I'm someone who makes plans to make plans. To-do lists and itineraries and color-coding excite me. If there is a planning disorder, I have it. I also get anxious if plans change or materialize last-minute, a character trait I'm trying to work on.

8.Who do you admire the most?
My mother. Folks, the woman is a saint. I have never met anyone who does more for people, expects less in return, and somehow juggles so much with such grace. She is my biggest idol and my greatest blessing.

9. What is your all-time favorite song that you would never get tired of listening to?
Joy by George Winston. There are no words in the song, but I can't help but see the faces of my entire family. It fills my eyes with teary nostalgia. It sounds like home.

10. Chocolate or vanilla?
chocolate, duh.

11. If you were a superhero, what would your power be?
To end hunger? To create world peace? To have a wing-operated bicycle? Yeah, I like the last one.


11 fabulous bloggers & their questions:
A Cup of Jo
All Things Fabulous
Atlantic-Pacific
Big City Beddie
Distrikmode
Made by Girl
Minnie Lane
One of Five *only if you want to do it again! ;)
Rockstar Diaries
Sequins and Stripes
The Doctor's Closet

1. What are you most afraid of?
2. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
3. Who makes you laugh the most?
4. What location is at the top of your dream travel list?
5. What's the one beauty product you can't live without?
6. Describe your ideal Friday night.
7. Who is your style icon?
8. True or False: soulmates exist.
9. What's the hardest thing you've ever done?
10. What was the most exciting gift you've ever given?
11. What's your favorite quote?

thank ya, thank ya!

until next time,

g

Happy Two Years!

thanks so much for reading!

-xx-

until next time,

g

Questions or Comments?

questions or comments?

post suggestions?

need advice?

just click on the link on the sidebar that says,

"email little lady!"

happy blogging & reading, friends.

until next time,

g

Bloglovin'

Another way to keep up-to-date with your favorite blogs!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

until next time,

g

New Website!

With the amazing help of Smitten Blog Designs, I am proud to present my new professional website!

You may access it via http://www.virginialucashart.blogspot.com/ or http://www.virginialucashart.com/

or by clicking my button on the sidebar:

  Little Lady, Big Apple will stay the same and the new site will act primarily as my "flagship" and a place for me to share my artwork. It's still very much a work in progress, but I have been so tickled with this project that I couldn't wait any longer to share it with you.

Please stay tuned for more updates!

until next time,

g