Rae Nudson

to do lists of the semi-adult: episode 6

In this episode of To Do Lists of the Semi-Adult, Jewels and I talk about having presence at work and in life. A great Wall Street Journal article on the topic (that you can read if you have access behind the paywall) sparked our discussion, and a picture of the infographic gave us some tips to discuss.

Presence, to me, is like a professional kind of charisma. If you have it, people listen to you and want to hear what you have to say. I think this can be really tough to learn, especially as a young person in the workplace. Do you guys feel like you have presence? Do you have any tips?

I think the best thing someone can do to start building presence at work is to simply be professional–sometimes easier said than done. (Ask A Manager is another great resource for questions on workplace behavior.)

We also talk about what we’re reading (Guardians of the Galaxy and Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook), what we’re wearing and what we are cooking (Jewels is learning to make the mother sauces, how cool is that!).

You can subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or by using our feed link. You can also always find them on my Podcast page. You can find me right here at Rae’s Days, on Instagram and on Twitter. Jewels is at Oven Lovin, on Instagram and on Twitter.

tiny bathroom decor

I know it’s small and you don’t have much space for storage and it’s probably the last room in your tiny apartment you think about decorating.

But can I be honest? I really like my bathroom.

The window is lovely and provides all this nice light. The white and blue I use keep things cheerful. And even though I don’t have much storage, I can keep my everyday items easily within reach.

I use only a clear shower liner to keep things open and so I don’t block any light from the window. It also makes this small space seem a little bigger. I use hanging net things (the official term) to store things both inside and outside the shower. That gives me light and airy storage for my shampoo in the shower, and hair dryer and make up outside the shower. I hate keeping the hair dryer stowed away under a cabinet when I use it almost every day.

Remember that shelf I painted for the entryway in my old apartment? It’s been reappropriated as a place to keep extra towels and toilet paper rolls. I LOVE the bright yellow–it’s such a fun piece and just narrow enough to fit against the wall behind the door.

You guys have already seen my easy glass cabinet makeover, and I still love the way it brings a pretty pattern into the space.

I think buying a cute soap pump/trash can/toothbrush holder can go a long way to making your space seem more grown up and personal.

I can’t hang hooks over my door, but I am lucky to have two towel rods, where I can hang matching bath towels. For my bathrobe, I completely copied how I saw it at a friend’s apartment and I use an S-hook through one of the shower curtain holders.

I am normally not very matchy-matchy, but in this small space I like the cohesiveness and simplicity of using just blue, white, and yellow.

It’s a small space, sure, but that also means it can be one of the easiest and quickest to decorate. Renting limits my options, but I think there are always ways to work within your limitations to make your space prettier and more comfortable. This bathroom isn’t the most glamorous, but it makes me happy to get ready in every day.

illustration of characters from twin peaks

My final fashion illustration class was this week, and we displayed our final projects. We had to create five different figures, and I based mine off of Twin Peaks. (I’ve talked a little bit before about the great costumes in that show.) It is visually stunning, and using it as inspiration for my drawings allowed me to explore that world a little differently than I had before.

I focused a lot on using colors inspired by the show–so a lot of greens and browns. I love the quirkiness of the characters, so I made sure to include Dr. Jacoby’s glasses and, of course, the log lady’s log. All my illustrations are in pen and markers. (Markers are so fun–who knew! Like a giant, fancy coloring book.)

I will definitely keep drawing and practicing–I’m a little sad the class is over! You can see my other posts about this class here and here.

fashion illustration class update

It’s getting near the end of my drawing class, but here’s a few of my favorites so far. These drawings are from inspiration I’ve found in magazines or on Pinterest, or from our model in class.

My main goal from this class is to better be able to communicate my ideas visually–for fashion and home design and anything else I want to dream up. I am definitely improving, and it’s been a lot of fun. I learned a whole new medium in markers and I really, really like exploring that. Our final project is coming up next week–I hope I come up with something good. You can always follow along on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #raesdrawings.

to do lists of the semi-adult: episode 5

In episode five of the To Do Lists of the Semi-Adult, Jewels and I talk about making friends as an adult. I think it’s harder than romantic dating, and that is already really hard. Jewels brought up this cool New York Times article on the science of friendship. (But if it were as simple as that, we’d all do it, right?)

We both think taking classes in something you want to learn is a good way to meet people with shared interests. It’s hard to make the move from acquaintance to friend, but I think it’s easier to get people to join you if you have solid plans to invite them to.

We also talked about my trip to Michigan, and A.J.’s Birthday Week, which included a Johnny Cash show at the Pittsburgh CLO Cabaret Theater.

We are having busy but fun summers, and Jewels is going to the zoo. What’s your favorite zoo animal? Mine are the bears, and Jewels’ is the lions. And the sea dragons. (Also, sometimes puppies play with cheetahs!) When I told Jewels about the dress I made, I also taught her about bias tape makers. You should check them out and tell them if you can get them to work properly–I think mine was the wrong size.

You can find us on iTunes, Stitcher, and our feed, and you can always find episodes on my podcast page.

a selfmade dress and what i wore

I have been thinking a long time about sewing a dress or outfit but it took me a long time to pull the trigger. It sounded intimidating–I have sewn a little bit but not really any clothes. Patterns and fabric seemed expensive and difficult to try out if I wasn’t sure it would turn out.

But then I saw Corinne’s tunic on the Purl Bee. It looked just simple enough that maybe I could do it. And it looked so cute on their Facebook page. (And it only needs 2 yards of fabric!)

So I picked up a few yards of a light gray cotton from JoAnn’s and got to sewing! I don’t have instructions because the Purl Bee already has all that covered. It took a few hours, and ripping out a few seams, but I think it was a great, simple dress for a beginning project.

And the best part is, now I’m ready to sew a lot more!

errands and what i wore

Sometimes you just need to get things done. I am getting ready for another trip and I prioritized function over from with my Mizzou gym shorts and trusty dinosaur sweatshirt from Topshop (thanks polar vortex in July).

I’m so excited to be heading back to Michigan, but right now there’s a pretty big to-do list between me and the pool. Once I get there, though, I’m hoping to keep reading the Preacher and keep practicing drawing (you can follow along on instagram). Alright, gotta get back to it–

to do lists of the semi-adult: episode 4

We took a break for the Fourth of July, but we are back with episode four of the To Do Lists of the Semi-Adult podcast. In this episode, Jewels and I talk about moments that made us feel like an adult. Jewels talks about canceling a trip so she could be with her husband, and I talk about planning a vacation. We think one of the biggest things that makes us feel like an adult is knowing what we need and how to articulate it. (Captain Awkward has great tips for this.) Plus we talk about smaller moments like a mess-free manicures and eating ice cream for dinner (like a total adult). We’d love to hear about your own milestones–what made you feel like an adult!–in the comments or on Twitter!

In our lightning round, we talked about how I just finished Mr. Mercedes (you can see my thoughts here and here), and I’m currently reading the graphic novel series (comic book series?) The Preacher. Jewels is reading food-related noel Ruth Reichl’s Tender at the Bone.

You can find us on iTunes, Stitcher, and our feed, and you can always find episodes on my podcast page. Thanks for listening!

what to read next

It’s a little over halfway through the year, and I’ve read 15 books so far (you can see my stats on Goodreads). It’s been a good year for books. I just finished Mr. Mercedes, and this year I also finished the Sandman and read NOS4A2 and Boy, Snow, Bird–and many other wonderful reads.

And now I’m facing the inevitable question: What do I read next?

The Bat by Jo Nesbo (Kindle here) is our new family book club read. It’s a crime novel I’ve heard very good things about for far too long without reading it myself. If you want to read along with us, we are having our discussion in September, so we are all trying to finish reading by the end of August.

I also have about 1,000 comics I want to catch up on. I’m still reading Saga, and the most recent issue was a game changer (but don’t they all seem that way?). I reallllllly want to read The Preacher, and the first volume has been burning a hole in my bookshelf for a while. Plus, I got the very cool complete Frank Miller’s Batman for my birthday.

*And* I want to keep reading Mary Robinette Kowal’s Glamourist histories. The next one on my list is Without a Summer (which is actually the third in the series).

So basically I’m drowning in a sea of riches. I better choose quick.

mr. mercedes: olivia trelawney’s condo

Poor Olivia. In Stephen King’s Mr. Mercedes, her car became a horrific weapon in a terrible mass murder, and instead of comfort or pity, she got blame and dislike.

Her money and her fancy condo couldn’t help her in the end–no one could. From the first interview with the police in her parlor she was doomed to rub people the wrong way and seem cold and uncaring after the Mercedes Killer took her car and ran into a crowd, killing men, women, and children in line at a job fair one misty morning.

After Olivia killed herself, her fancy condo by the lake was left to her sister, Janelle. Janey and Olivia likely had very different styles. But since Janey served Detective Hodges coffee in china on a silver tray, I imagine she left the condo much the same at first and was going to add her own touch as time went on. Here’s what I imagine it might look like.

I am sure the condo was coordinated. A mix of modern and traditional–Olivia had good, and expensive, taste. And she was always put together. You wouldn’t find this condo messy and wouldn’t find fake gold where it could be real.

I wish Olivia had better days in her condo before she died, and I’m glad Janey brought some smile and cheer into it. I’m sure it was a beautiful place, even with a dark past.

You can see some of my other thoughts on Mr. Mercedes here. (I really liked it!)

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