Personality Test

Yesterday my friend heard from a company she applied to, and she set up an interview. She then got an email from them with 8 different things she had to complete before her interview. A personality test, a few writing tests, and a sales pitch exercise were some on her list. This company is serious business! She sent me the link and told me to take the personality test to see what I would get. So I did, because I too was curious what my results would say. Mine came back: ESFJ.

Here is the link if you would like to see what your personality code is:
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes1.htm

Let me know if you take the test and if you feel that your code is correct on who you are.

I think my code ESFJ is pretty true to who I am as a person. When I googled to see what that result was it said that I am a generous entertainer, I observe traditions, and that I am liberal in giving. I wouldn't say I generously entertain, not yet anyways, but I do enjoy having people over for a little get-together.  It said I enjoy being in charge (very true!), I can see problems easily and can delegate easily. I willingly provide service (true!) and expect the same from others. It also said I was a care-taker with a motherly drive.

I would say I am a social person, would much rather be hanging out with friends doing an activity then sitting at home reading a book. I do enjoy traditions and look forward to the holidays for the food and to see family. I love giving presents and really try to give the best gift for that person. This past year I painted paintings for various friends because I enjoy painting but also because I like to give. Hopefully when they look at their painting they think of me. I will try to post the paintings next week.

Have a great day everyone! It's going to be a hot one!

-Alicia

A Must Read on Social Media Marketing!

-"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Social Media Marketing" by Jennifer Abernethy. This book took me awhile to read because it has alot of great information on it. And she goes through step by step starting with setting up your account on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.  I took alot of notes on each section and will post what I thought was helpful in using the websites to market your company.

Here is a link to purchase the book:
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Social-Marketing/dp/1592579892/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309354210&sr=8-1

FACEBOOK:
-Age range 13-80 year old, the largest demographic is 35+ years old
-As your status you can share tips, websites, information to your target audience, share what's new with your business, testimonials, and you can network
-You can add photos, videos, notes and events
-Create a fan page and group of your company

TWITTER:
(I thought Twitter was as simple as just posting a comment. Boy was I wrong.)
-You can share info, expertise, don't spam, provide value and be authentic
-You can market your business, network, drive traffic to your website, ask followers questions, attract and keep loyal customers
-Share interesting links, learn what your customers are looking for, network by commenting on others
-You should tweet at least 2 times a day
-There are ALOT of applications:
TweetDeck- It organizes your tweets
TweetPic- Shares photos on Twitter
Twiddeo- Shares videos

LINKEDIN:
-It is a highly respected professional network
-The average age on the website is 49
-It allows you to connect to people up to 3 degrees away (That is why you see a little number by people's name)
-You can give and get testimonials and reccomendations
-Post Powerpoints, add your blog, add statuses, post questions to groups, share links, post job listings
-Reconnect with old and current connections
-You can create your own group
-Applications:
Reading list/ Events/ SlideShare Presentations/ LinkedIn Polls/ Blog Link/ Google Presentation

STREAMING SOCIAL MEDIA:
Lifecasting- Video blog of personal life (Artist shoots a video of them painting, or a Songwriter composing a song)
Justin.tv- Lifecasting website and live video website   http://www.justin.tv/
Tumblr- blog website   http://www.tumblr.com/
Live365.com- anyone can broadcast the music they like  http://www.live365.com/index.live
BlogTalkRadio.com- All you need is a telephone and a computer and you can have your own internet radio show   http://www.blogtalkradio.com/

VIDEO MARKETING:
Seeing and hearing testimonials is what audiences are responding to
Youtube.com
12seconds.tv- Video version of Facebook statuses  (I just went to the website and apparently they are closed)
Vimeo- Post and Share Videos   http://vimeo.com/
Blip.tv- Produce web shows   http://blip.tv/
Ustream.tv- Create your own internet shows   http://www.ustream.tv/

BLOGS:
- A log or personal writing accessible to the world
- You can share expertise
-You should blog 2-3 times a week
- Use catchy titles to capture your follower's attention
Typepad.com- Easy to use, there is a fee to use this website   http://www.typepad.com/
Squarespace.com- There is a fee to use this website  http://www.squarespace.com/
Vox.com- Mostly a family blog, This is a free website  (It is no longer a working website)
Blogger.com- Of course I love blogger! Very easy to use and free.

WEBINARS/TELESEMINARS:
Gotomeeting.com- Phone/Web meeting up to 15 people  http://www.gotomeeting.com/fec/
Webex.com- Popular web meeting with the corporate world   http://www.webex.com/

And finally.........
Ping.fm - Allows you to update all of your social media sites through one entry!!  Simple and free!  http://ping.fm/
Netvibes.com- Holds a bunch of your different social media sites on one page.  Everything that matters to you on one dashboard. And it's free!   http://www.netvibes.com/en


A great book if you are looking to use social media marketing for your company.  And I even left some things out from the book. I think I will look into that netvibes website that sounds really handy.

-Alicia

Just A Lil' Sketchy

Is anyone following the Casey Anthony murder? Casey is being charged for murdering her 3 year old daughter Caylee. I keep catching bits and pieces on the Today Show. It sounds like this case is getting stickier. The prosecution is painting a picture of how Casey killed her daughter, and the defense's story is that Caylee drowned in the pool and then the dad helped Casey cover it up. This case is getting stickier because there was talk that Casey was sexually abused by her dad since she was 8, and possibly her brother. They haven't fully said who is the father of Caylee. Could it be her father? Or her brother? They said someone looked up chloroform on the computer 48 times. Apparently chloroform is a drug to put someone to sleep. They tried to prove that Casey was the one that looked up the cholorform but Casey's mom took the stand to say she must have been the one to look that up. But they had proof that Casey's mom was at work while someone was on the home computer. I haven't heard the latest on that bit of evidence.

The last I heard was they tried to call a miss-trial and Casey was claiming to be incompetent to continue. The judge ruled her competent and the trial will continue to go on.

So this whole publicized trial got me thinking about those courtroom sketch artists. Normally cameras aren't allowed in the court room so artists would quickly sketch what is happening and then sell the pictures to the news media. I thought the sketch artists were hired by the court but they are usually just members of the public sitting in the back. The sketchs are normally drawn on brown paper in pastels, chalk or pencil. If you can draw and stomach the details and horrific crime scene photos this might be a neat job. It just made me really think how art is everywhere. You can get paid to sit and draw during a court proceeding! Crazy!

How to become a Professional Sketch Artist: (Incase you were wondering!)
http://degreedirectory.org/articles/Sketch_Art_5_Steps_to_Becoming_a_Professional_Sketch_Artist.html

This is a good website on the story behind a few Sketch Artists and how they got started:
http://www.ironicsans.com/2008/03/the_other_art_of_courtroom_ske.html

Sketches from famous trials:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/galleries/scenes_from_a_courtroom/scenes_from_a_courtroom.html

11 Worst Celebrity Courtroom Sketches:
http://glamour-news.blogspot.com/2009/10/11-worst-celebrity-courtroom-sketches.html

Rod Blagojevich 

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Prosecutor-Blago-sold-out-the-trust-of-people-1362412.php

Lindsay Lohan

http://www.bloginity.com/blog/2010/09/26/linsday-lohan-courtroom-drawings-sale/

http://www.made-in-england.org/courtroom-artists/

Madoff

http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-500283_162-5122930.html

Have a great day! 

-Alicia

Look at what I just got in!!

My Marketing Certificate!

-Alicia

This one's for you Tor!

Good Monday Morning Everyone! Did you have a good weekend? Mine went by way to fast. Saturday morning I painted a birdbath and bird house for my mom. We quickly walked through the Spring Green Art Fair and through Peck's Art Fair. They both seemed smaller than past years. Then we drove to Wisconsin Heights for the Relay for Life. My family walked for Walgreens because my mom works there, and for my brother who has been battling cancer since last year. He found out he had cancer a few months before his 18th birthday. He is finally in the home stretch and will be done with chemo in August. I believe there is Army Strong and there is Cancer Strong. My brother Torey is incredibly strong. He has been a positive and upbeat person through this all. He has never once complained about his cancer or the pain. He is inspiring me to live life to the fullest, be a more positive person, and to finally run a 5k. I love you Torey. You make me want to be a better person.

 This year's American Cancer Society theme is "less cancer more birthdays". The Birthday theme was seen pretty much at every entrant's station with balloons, streamers, banners, and party hats. The Relay for Life started at 6pm and ended at 8am Sunday morning. I am really happy my family was involved in the Relay for Life this year and I hope we can continue to go. Alot of work and preparation went into the event and and it ran smoothly. They just needed to turn the microphone up a little louder so we could hear everything that was said. I was there for the opening ceremony at 6pm and then came back to walk 10pm-midnight. They had a luminary lighting event at 10pm. My mom made 18 luminaries'. One for each of Torey's birthdays. It was a great event and I can't wait to attend it again next year.

Ok time for some photos!

Poppy and Firefly design I painted for my mom's birdbath that my dad made out of concrete.

Front of the bird house.

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Spring Green Art Fair photos

http://springgreenartfair.com/

I saw these and thought of my friend Nicole who paints margarita glasses as birthday gifts.

My mom's Art Fair purchase! A ceramic firefly!

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American Cancer Society Relay for Life 

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=31069

One team made a giant birthday cake. It looked really neat lit up at night.

A luminary candle for Torey that my mom made.

My family! 

My hair was a mess way too much humidity in the air.

 -Alicia

FOOD FIGHT!

YAY! It's Friday! Another week down. I have a pretty busy Wisconsin weekend planned. I will tell you all about it Monday and post pictures. I must be out of it this morning because I was almost done with my post this morning and I closed out of the tab losing all of it. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! So this will be a shorter post than the one I started earlier this morning.

So I have been talking about making baked mac and cheese for a few months now. I think my friend Taryn was sick of me bringing it up so she came over last night and we made mac and cheese. It turned out pretty good. I took a picture to post on my blog but forgot to get it off my computer. The recipe didnt make very much so we ended up making more, and because we wanted to tweak the recipe a little. The recipe said it serves 4-6. It must feed 4-6 children because we only had a little leftover.

With food on my mind I thought today's post could be about edible art. Mostly fruit art. I have found some pretty intriguing photos. Taryn forwarded me a very cool food art email a few weeks or months ago which got me thinking these photos. The artist is Balla Tamas. You can see the website here: http://www.ballatamas.com/kreativ/en_creative.html

http://weirdspy.com/food-art/

http://very-bored.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=117&Itemid=1

http://2dayblog.com/2010/01/15/food-art-by-tamas-balla/

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Now some amazing sculpted fruit.

http://www.fitforafeast.com/food_art.htm

http://wackymania.com/15-most-awesome-pieces-of-food-art/

(Great website of examples)

http://wiresmash.com/amazing/the-amazing-food-art/

http://morecoolpictures.blogspot.com/2009/03/naked-fruit.html?zx=6d5c09de778558e4

Pretty cool right?!

Don't listen to your parents- Play with your food all you want! 

Feel free to comment with photos you find relating to food art! I would love to see them. :)

Have a great weekend!

-Alicia

Easily Distracted

Tuesday night we had a crazy storm. As I told you before I am a huge baby when it comes to storms. Of course the night the tornado sirens go off four times my roommate has to be at her parents. So I am home alone, and slightly freaking out! I lit every candle in our place. One in the bathroom, a few smaller ones in the living room, and two large candles near me in the kitchen. I am really glad I decided to alter some photos I took in Photoshop that night to keep me distracted.

Earlier that night I went for a jog/walk. Mostly a walk because I didn't make it very far jogging. I made it back home just as it was starting to look pretty dark. I called my boyfriend to say hi and then the siren went off.  I told him how Illinois has a siren go off even when it is a severe thunderstorm so I figured that is what it was. My roommate Jeanie text me and asked if I was home and if I heard the tornado siren. WHAT?! Tornado siren?! That is not what I thought it was. So I turned the tv on, started panicking looking for a flashlight and candles. Jeanie's next text "hide in the green bathroom." Awesome. A half bathroom with toilet and sink... that is my place to hide from the storm?!  I feel really safe! So like I said I had the tv on and ran to it any time they mentioned the storm, was sitting in the kitchen surrounded by candles playing around in Photoshop and listening to the sirens continue to go off.  

Well thankfully nothing happened. I made it. I'm still alive! I didn't have to take shelter in the tiny bathroom! So....... here are the photos that I worked on.

Lake Michigan, Chicago, IL

Cantigny Park, Wheaton, IL

Navy Pier, Chicago, IL

Apple Orchard, Verona, WI

Navy Pier, Chicago, IL

Crystal Lake, IL

Cantigny Park, Wheaton, IL

Cantigny Park, Wheaton, IL

What do you think?! 

I really love the Ferris Wheel one! 

Thanks for checking out my blog.

-Alicia

Dutch Man builds Noah's Ark

What a crazy night and a crazy day. We finally have internet and phone working at work. Sorry for not being able to post earlier at my usual 9am! My poor 8 loyal followers!! Their routine must be all out of whack now! I know how you come in in the morning, pour your coffee, check your email and then read my blog! So that is why I am posting a smaller post right now and will post again when I get home from work. Hopefully that will hold you over.

I like to watch the Today show as I am getting ready for work. It keeps me informed on what is going on in the world and also Mr. Al Roker helps me decide on what to wear each work day. A story that seems relevant to the weather we just had was this guy in the Netherlands (Johan Huibers) who is building a to-scale replica of Noah's Ark. Yes I am serious. O and he is also adding life-sized animals to the Ark. Where he is getting the money from I have no idea. It has taken him three years and $1.6 million out of his pocket. He said the life-sized elephant cost $1,500? I think. Or maybe he said $15,000. I know, I know that is a pretty big difference. Someone can post which one is the correct answer! (I just found it... the elephant cost $11,000!!)

You can watch the clip here:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43492787/ns/today-today_people/

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/weird/Doomsday-Dream-Prompst-Dutch-Man-to-Build-Huge-Noahs-Ark-124346619.html

-Alicia

"Filling a space in a beautiful way. That is what art means to me." Georgia O'Keeffe

First i would like to say how excited I am the gas is finally below $4!!!! Hmmm what to talk about today?! How about paintings from one of my favorite artist.... Georgia O'Keeffe. Just her close-up of flowers not so much the skulls. Those don't really do anything for me!  I'm drawn to the bright colors and of course the flower shapes.

Holy cow! I just read a biography on her and she grew up in SUN PRAIRIE, WISCONSIN!! They definitely didn't tell us that in school I would have remembered something like that. She was considered one of the greatest female artists in the 20th century.

Georgia O'Keeffe quotes:

"Where I was born and where and how I have lived is unimportant. It is what I have done with where I have been that should be of interest."


"I decided that if I could paint that flower in a huge scale, you could not ignore its beauty."


" Whether the flower or the color is the focus I do not know. I do know the flower is painted large to convey my experience with the flower -- and what is my experience if it is not the color?"


http://www.lilithgallery.com/arthistory/modern/Georgia-OKeeffe.html

http://www.lilithgallery.com/arthistory/modern/Georgia-OKeeffe.html

http://www.topofart.com/artists/Georgia_OKeeffe/painting/3864/Two_Calla_Lilies_on_Pink.php

http://dummidumbwit.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/georgia-o’keeffe/

http://artmauve.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_34

http://www.privilegedclub.com/60260-georgia-okeeffes-canna-red-and-orange-to-fetch-a-hefty-amount/

Absolutely gorgeous! I love how flowers can change a mood.

-Alicia

Show And Tell

Happy Monday Everyone! I hope you had a good weekend. The weather was definitely nice. I had a good weekend. Friday night I hung out with my friend Erica and her little guy TJ. I left her place Saturday morning and as I was driving home I saw a sign "Art on the Fox" in Algonquin. (Art Fair along the Fox River) So I got home pretty excited and jumped online to find a farmer's market in my area. I didn't really see any so I looked up Art Fairs in my area. I found two- The Art on the Fox, and one at Cantigny Park. Both of them were a half hour away. I asked if a few people wanted to go with me. I then remembered my first post on my blog how I was going to stop talking about doing something or not doing something because I would have to go alone. So I decided on the Cantigny Park one because they also had flower gardens. And let me tell you I am very happy I went... even if it was solo! The park is beautiful, there was about 70 participants in the art fair, and it ended up being a pretty hot sunny day. I took ALOT of photos. I will post some of them.

The brochure

Picture of one end of the Art Fair

I love that the artist was painting during the Art Fair. 

Quite a few artists were working during the fair.

Some of her work. I have actually been thinking about doing something similar for awhile now. 

Using close up pictures of flowers that I take and paint them.

This is glass fused to make plates and bowls.

She told me she actually fires them 3 times to get the right color.

Throwing pottery on the wheel.

Pencil graphite artist.

Flower photography!

This lady caught my eye! I love the gold and her crazy curly hair!

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And now pictures from the flower gardens.

They had this idea garden section with all of the senses.

LOOK!!! You can taste the flowers! Edible nasturtiums!! Love it!

It ended up being a hot day and I would have loved to run through the fountain like the little kids!

If you are ever in the Wheaton, Illinois area I recommend checking out Cantigny Park.

http://www.cantigny.org/

-Alicia