Sarah’s Creative Journey

This goal was to visit five new coffee shops on the list of "30 best coffee shops" or something to visit. While I have made it to two or so new ones on the list, I have been to countless others that are not on the list at all. Which is fine, because the coffee industry is growing every day! (And this list is now at least 3 years old). So I guess I should probably look up a more recent list to see how many have changed. In the meantime, some shops I have visited since 2017... Café Olé in Annapolis Ride Home in Worthington La Gota (in its brief appearance) in Dayton Coava and 2 others I forgot the name of before writing them down in Portland, OR Addicted in Cleveland Awakenings and La Terza in Cincinnati Cafe Apropos in Columbus (also before they closed) 42nd and Lawrence and Sir Walter Coffee in Raleigh St. Anne the Tart and Wholly Grounds (2 newer ones) in Dayton Blue Bottle and others in NYC (just realizing how many I haven't written down...😮) and so many

We actually haven't gone to a music festival - at least not yet. I'm sure it could still happen though.  Our biggest hang up is the cost in relation to how many people we actually want to see or might enjoy while we're there.  So for now we have decided to just spend money for concert tickets to people we really want to see. Last year was full of concerts: Walk the Moon, Dispatch, Frank Turner, Panic! at the Disco, and O.A.R. and Matt Nathanson. This year we saw Mumford and Sons and next year, I'm seeing  Celine Dion!  Each of them is preserved in my memory- on phone and computer, and maybe soon on paper if not already. Each time we go, I get lost in the moment and together with the crowd, enjoying the rhythm and flow of the evening. I drown out things I worry about and celebrate the community that comes to sing and dance their heart out. I love going because it reminds me of why I love making and recreating art. Or why I love live music and performances. 

Only this past year have I really started using Photoshop more. I still use InDesign and Illustrator, but only when a project calls for those. My main concentration has been teaching myself how to paint in Photoshop. Which is a bit easier than painting in Illustrator, I think.  I started by making a goal of creating one picture a month, and then sending it to my grandma. I thought it was a fun way to keep in touch, while also learning and practicing a new skill, and hopefully keeping me more on track. It has worked out fairly well, and if I miss a month or two, I catch up later.  I don't think too much of the pictures I have made so far, but I'm actually having fun! Which is a big feat for me since I'm working on a computer. Usually technology and I don't work very well together.  My process for accomplishing and continuing this goal:        -make small and time sensitive goals        -pick a topic or theme for a picture or multiple pictures        -maybe watch

As far as dancing goes, I basically have no rhythm (despite having actually taken a dance class in college), and just make things up as I go. I even used to be scared of dancing until my best friend showed me how fun and silly it can be.  The reason behind this goal was to try and learn a more formal type of dance, such as ballroom or salsa or something. So if I can actually remember the steps for the next time I dance in public, it would go pretty well. And it may one day, but in the meantime, I am okay with learning as life goes on. Because despite being terrible at it, it is usually something that most people are also terrible at. So in reality, we all look pretty weird when we dance. The point is that no one cares! It's fun! You're moving your body to the beat, loudly singing out lyrics, and socializing with the people around you.  This year, I have learned a portion of two different types of dance: salsa and square.  Salsa dancing took place at Therapy Cafe in Dayton

While it's always been fun to make and drink cocktails, we don't make complicated drinks very often. If anything, they usually only need 2 or 3 ingredients: liquor, a juice or pop mixer, and maybe some kind of flavor, herb, or fruit. Very rarely do we have to heat anything up or mix in egg whites or what have you.  So instead, this year we received a wine making kit! We already most likely screwed up our first batch, but otherwise it's been fun! I think learning how to make wine takes the goal up a notch from just making some cocktails.  A short and sweet post this time about how winemaking is fun and how it's going to take a few times to figure out what we're doing. But how fun it is to learn new things!

This past year I have started doing some experimental baking. I was passed a sourdough starter and made a few sourdough breads or pancakes. We got store bought phyllo dough and made spanakopita and baklava (and even inspired my mom to make baklava too). I made my first stromboli from scratch. I made a pumpkin roll . I made mocha meringue cookies. And I made a few different scones and muffins! (Only have picture links to 2 of these sadly). Plus, this Christmas I received a Harry Potter and Mary Berry cookbook, so the British inspiration has taken over some. Thinking of trying some tarts this summer, and maybe even homemade poptarts too. Yet another continuous and ongoing goal of living a creative life! :)

As I had mentioned in a previous post, I think I am at the peak of making latte art on a fully automatic machine. I still have a ways to go in general, but don't think it will be ending here. It has been so long and fairly consistent that I haven't even taken pictures or posted in a few months, and before that, almost a full year ago! But here are some of my best recorded ones.  So far, I have been about 90% self taught on milk foam consistency and how to move the milk pitcher to make latte art. There are youtube videos on almost everything. So between those, some Skillshare tips, and even a few books, that is where I have acquired most of my coffee knowledge!  The other 10% has been either through work or Crimson Cup.  While I feel pretty good about getting to where I am now with this goal, it is always an ongoing thing that can slowly fade if the technique is not continually practiced. I'm hoping that my coffee journey doesn't end soon so I can continue up-in

Since last year, I have "completed" a few more goals! When I say "completed," some of these are and will be ongoing. So for example, I feel that on the fully automatic espresso machine at work I have gotten as consistent as possible in making latte art (when I have the time to slow down for just a bit). I've also learned that the milk temperature and different brands of milk (between dairy or non dairy) will steam and froth a bit differently.  Check my instagram for latte art pictures! I have baked multiple "fancy" things (some of which will be in an upcoming post), such as stromboli, sourdough pancakes and friendship bread, spanakopita, baklava, mocha meringue cookies, and more! Plus, Tim and his family got me a Mary Berry and Harry Potter recipe book for Christmas. So bring on the British desserts (and other savory fare) as well! We have not gotten tickets to a music festival (some are just expensive, especially if you only know/want to see 1 o

This goal was fairly easy considering there are many wineries, distilleries, breweries, and even meaderies popping up everywhere.  Because of this we have already done quite a few tours. The first two we ended up going to were Camelot Cellars in Columbus, and Raleigh Rum Company in Raleigh. Camelot Cellars  was unique considering it wasn't actually that big. They have a small area to make a decent supply of wine, as well as a small working area for bottling and labeling. A cool tidbit to this winery is that they will let you go and make your own batch of wine and even make your own label for it! Raleigh Rum Company  was also a unique place to visit because they are located in a rented garage type space. Still a pretty small company, so they are mostly serving and distributing locally. As they grow, they are looking in to other state requirements to be able to ship their liquor. They are only making rum for now, but did hire out another person to incorporate a family amaretto

It has been a long while and it seems as if nothing has really changed.  I feel different though, and things are different. But the struggle of it all will never really change.  My hope for this year is that I spend more time creating and less time worrying. Already it feels as if I could be on the edge, or even the other side, of a big change in habits and my art. I've spent the past year soaking up a lot of information and denying that I really know how to do anything at all. But with each new day, a new opportunity arises. I think this time I could be ready to tackle it instead of trying to puzzle myself an easier way around it. There is no easy way. The trick is focusing to see the small steps that are already there, waiting for me to see them and step onto them.  So here's to the nights of inspiration spent staying awake because in the morning it would be too late.  That being said, even if I don't see that I've come very far, I know I have. Because:  "