New 'Home is Where the Heart Is' Greeting Card

The saying 'home is where the heart is' couldn't be more true. It's always been one of my favorite quotes, and I enjoy making type treatments that form an image, like this. After testing out different materials and ways this could print, I truly believe this is the best way to share this message, and hope you or someone you love enjoys it as well.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/602419189/home-is-where-the-heart-is-greeting-card?ref=shop_home_active_1

'When I'm all alone or in a crowd'

In a quiet place or where music's loud

If I'm on the road, or in the other room

That's how you know, I'm thinkin' of you



When the flowers bloom, when the leaves turn brown

when the sun is hot, when the snow falls down, down

when the clouds are gray, and the sky's are blue

that's how you know, I'm thinkin' of you



You're always the first and the last thing on this heart of mine

No matter where I go or what I do, I'm thinkin' of you.



http://youtu.be/INkvQpjfrHY

(dierks bentley, 'thinking of you')

Storm King for our Birthday Last Year

'Whip, whip

Run me like a racehorse

Pull me like a ripcord

Break me down and build me up

I wanna be the slip, slip

Word upon your lip, lip

Letter that you rip, rip

Break me down and build me up



Don't wanna be the parenthetical, hypothetical

Working on something that I'm proud of, out of the box



Whatever it takes,

'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins,

'Cause I love how it feels when I break the chains,

I do what it takes.'



https://youtu.be/gOsM-DYAEhY









I want to be friends with the youtuber who commented this under the video,

'I let my goldfish listen to this, Now he's a shark.' 

California Weekend | Cinequest 2018 & Seeds

Mark and I went to California this weekend! The purpose was to see my sister, and attend the ‘Seeds’ film
premiere at Cinequest Film Festival. Made it into San Francisco Thursday night and had dinner at ‘wonderful’
a really delicious Hunan Chinese restaurant in Millbrae. Her boyfriend knew the
menu well- we had a great time. I’m very proud of the life she’s made for
herself there and was happy to celebrate an early birthday with her. 

Friday we walked around the pier and Ferry Building Marketplace. Ate breakfast burritos and hung out before catching the Caltrain to San Jose. It was a smooth, quiet ride. Got off in Sunnyvale and were able to meet Mark's friend who works at Apple, and see the campus! It's so crazy and beautiful- got lunch together and took a little tour. From there, we Uber'd (my referral code is andreac2181ue and if you use Ibotta- QSABWBM for $1 off all Uber rides) to the Fairmont Hotel, and started festiva-ting.

Seeing everyone from the film who was able to come, was so great. I think the premiere went well - it was Saturday at the California Theatre. Really grateful to Owen and Younny Long as well as the whole cast and crew, for making the experience possible. Here is a review by Fanboy Planet, http://fanboyplanet.com/cinequest-2018-seeds/ and an article by Screen Anarchy http://screenanarchy.com/2018/03/seeds-exclusive-clip-thriller.html

Thank you to Wearaway, Salon Three Sixty One and Kevin Johnn for helping me feel confident and beautiful. (I meant to try out Stylebee but the timing didn't work out- if you want to- my code is achen25 for $20 off!)

And most of all to Mark for being the string to my kite, the tree to my vine, my rock, everything- all the things. I love exploring together. 

‘But First, Coffee’ ☕️

Maybe I should've buttoned up my cardigan to be more professional today.

Buut... people need to know.

"If you are reading this then this warning is for you. Do you read everything you're supposed to read? Do you think every thing you're supposed to think?



Quit your job. Start a fight. Prove you're alive. If you don't claim your humanity you will become a statistic."



—Tyler Durden ('Fight Club')

Presidents Day Brunch and 'Seeds' Film Teaser

Spent Presidents Day with literally some of the nicest women I've met since moving to Baltimore. It's one of the most therapeutic things to just talk for a long time, with a good meal and cup of coffee. Here's to more Monday's off.  

The outside of Order & Chaos has 'a creative cup of coffee' written out on the wall, and I definitely feel revitalized and inspired after a day like this. Little Havana is an eclectic, cool space. Pool table and generous booths, and twinkle-lit outdoor area with a view of the water. There was a mural with different locations in Cuba mapped out, and the title, 'Land of Eternal Spring' along the top.

'Seeds' Film teaser came out today as well:

Do you have Behance? let's be friends: https://www.behance.net/andreachen

Lip Balm Making Process

Just listed a few of these on the site, here - and wanted to share the process.





The codex club lip balms, were made through Herban Lifestyle and Uncommon Goods. 💋 it was so nice knowing exactly what was in this without unnecessary chemicals. Just cocoa butter, sunflower oil, sunflower oil and spearmint essential oil (and vitamin e from the medicine cabinet). And it feels amazing on your lips. Hope you enjoy!

Saw a Lion Dance at the Walters Art Museum for the holiday. Really enjoyed it, and all the performances, as well as walking around the various exhibits. There were some really incredible sculptures of Hercules and a series on the 4 Continents. Ate at Mount Vernon Marketplace down the street, and biked around along the Inner Harbor with the local city bikes.

Happy Valentines (Galentines, or Singles Awareness) Day

"Unless it's mad, passionate, extraordinary love,  it's a waste of your time.

There are too many mediocre things in life; Love shouldn't be one of them."

-Dream for an Insomniac



Listening to Michelle Obama's Spotify 'Forever Mine' playlist for Barack <3

"Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."

-Mark 10:9

My favorite gift was this set by Waxing Kara, a local company here in Maryland.

Everything smelled amazing and my skin never felt softer.

Was inspired by: https://munchies.vice.com/en_us/article/d7kb4z/mattys-perfect-rib-eye-steak

Seared steaks w olive oil in the skillet then added butter and garlic. Cooked spinach in sauce and drizzled over baked potatoes (450 degrees for 45 min)

Froze strawberries 🍓. Melted chocolate chips in the microwave and dipped them.

One of my favorite dessert places Milk from back in New York was able to deliver cookies in time as well. We go hard for the holidays. I think St. Valentine would be proud.

Road Trip Planning

Been enjoying planning the most amazing road trip possible for us this summer. 

We want to go all along the Northeast coast from Baltimore to New Orleans, with a bunch of stops in between (Wilmington, Charleston, Savannah, Panama City Beach, and more)

Here's a little preview of the route:

I'm using this app called Roadtrippers to scout out everywhere we want to go- it links to Google Maps or the Apple Maps app, and tells you how many miles between each stop. Before this I had an interactive pdf and sketches in my notebook- I can't tell you how excited I was to use this, but also sad for all the other work I'd done previously. (should've known there was an app for that)

'When was the last time, you did something for the first time?' 

-'First Time' by Darius Rucker