helen stackhouse
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
ILLUSTRATOR
WEB PRODUCER
HELENSTA@GMAIL.COM
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- Apr 20, 12hi. i'm twenty-five and a day old today. not sure what this signifies, but i'll try to break it down as i eat my overly acidic fruit-in-a-cup. as i get older, there are moments when i definitely feel wiser, more reasonable, and even more attractive, but then life slaps me across the face and makes me feel like i'm 10 years old again.this is what being twenty-five means to me:- when you get a physical and you receive negative feedback from the doctor; i guess eating all those icecream sandwiches are detrimental to my health. do those cheerios actually lower your cholesterol like they say they do in the commercials??- that wrinkle of my face IS NOT GOING AWAY. wtf.- yet i still get carded...everywhere- people are talking to me about their children like i should relate...please stop. i don't.- you switch your guilty pleasure reading from cosmo to reader's digest or shape...cosmo scares me now.- who the fuck is One Direction and Victoria Justice (i had to google those names btw...my search terms were "new popular singers disney boy band"--that makes me feel old)- the contestants on american idol didn't know who billy joel was or which ones were his songs AND apparently people didn't realize that titanic actually happened. OMG.
- you spend the first 18 years of your life trying to be everything your parents are not, and the universe CANNOT stop it from happening. when you're 25, you realize how much you look, act, and behave like your makers. i mean, they molded and formed you into the pole-bearer-clone-of-their-life...it's kind of creepy if you think about it. get out of my head mom.- two words: cyber bullying (that's an "issue.")- i love and appreciate my family more and more as i get older.- i realize and understand the importance of God and religion in my life, how much it can help me to be a better person, and how it shapes my decisions. i'm still in awe with what it means to have something bigger, greater and infinite beyond your comprehension molding your life, and i still have years to understand it.
- i have less friends.- i wish i was older. weird i know, but 25 is that awkward age where you're still too young to be respected in the workplace, but too old to go back to homecoming and relate to the keg stands and dramatics of a social life and school work. half of your friends are married with kids on the way, and the other half are still living at home with their parents.- 11 PM is borderline past my bed time.- you have a good understanding of what you want in a partner, and you've, at least, made enough bad mistakes to know what you don't want.- but you're still unsure of what you want in life. (dun dun DUN...do you ever know?)- you're still young enough that it's okay to be excited about the hunger games! right??!!?!- forever 21 is getting a little "limited too" for me...it's not okay when i start seeing a 12 year old wearing the exact same romper as me in the line to the movies. not. okay.- this should be the age where you stop taking photos of yourself in mirrors in your bikini/skanky outfit people. and maybe you should have stopped 5 years ago. the guys that are validating your behavior by leaving comments on those pictures are NOT the kind of people you want to attract. trust me.- when you get older, the quality of music seems to get worse. i'm sure there's some sort of mathematical correlation to this.- you've got a saving account.- even if it means you only have $78 in it..- 401K?! sure.- i still had to google it to make sure i knew exactly what that meant..- i combat my drinking with vitamins. (gummy vitamins) i also have a pill box. shut up.- i appreciate the value of a good friendship. maybe we've grown apart because we're not in the same chapters in our lives and we may never be as close again, but that doesn't mean i don't miss you.
- the news still puts me to sleep.- you're still not over that dreadful feeling that you'll never get another 3-month summer break or see a light at the end of the tunnel. and you're still trying to figure out how to look forward to something other than the weekend...is retirement really 40 years away?
- it's time to stop complaining already, by the time your twenty-five it's going to become an inherit of your personality, and no one wants to hang around a whiny whitney all day. we get it, being in your twenties is hard...but if you are healthy and loved, it's not that bad. so zip it.- you might feel more maternal. and this totally freaks you out so you get a dog. :)- britney spears has been around for two decades. TWO DECADES.- i have a permanent home, i bought expensive furniture. but i'm still scared to hang things on walls? commitment issues?
- i may give a lot of chances, but my expectations are lower (that doesn't mean my standards aren't high). friendship means a lot to me and if you've brushed me off or let me down, i've already dismissed you. i'm not 13 years old; if we only talk about hair, make-up and clothes, then you're probably in the acquaintance group in my google + of life. (<--ooOo)
- and as vague as this might sound, if you don't know how to be alone without a boyfriend or new best friend, make your own grown-up decisions, come up with your own likes and dislikes, if you look for validation in all the wrong places (aka social networks, boyfriends, etc) then i can't respect you enough to be a close friend.- julia roberts looks old. like old old.- i own at least one thing from ann taylor. (still have my nose ring ya'll!)- i miss being worry free, weak responsibilities, butterfly crushes, slumber parties, wearing banana clips in my hair, getting my hands sticky from eating popsicles on my front porch, asking my friends if they "want to play," dialing home phones, being excused from the dinner table, my imaginary horses, and reading under my covers with a flashlight.- but then...i remember how hard it was back then, always unsure of myself, wishing i was prettier, more popular, scared to be who i was, wanting to be accepted...roller coaster of hormones and emotions and not having the freedom to make my own decisions.- i like twenty-five but i can't wait to be thirty.i look like dora the explora. denim jacket and backpack. - Mar 15, 12hello 90s. welcome back.
crop tops are KEY for this summer. pin-dotted grey skinnies, matched with rosegold spikes, and a glow.
i think you're ready for the summer. seriously though, that st. tropez is amazing. amazing amazing.
grey polka dotted skinnies || peter pan collar crop top || spike necklace || leather satchel ||
perfect tan || tortoise karen walkers - Feb 23, 12
so...i thought i would do a beauty post, not like i'm an expert or anything, but i do get questions from friends etc. and i've also been on a skincare / makeup / hair craze, basically browsing through celebrity's favorite products and reading blogger's tips. below is the crummiest photo of my basics, i apologize for the terrible quality, but my dslr died...and i didn't think my inspiration would last more than 5 hours it takes to fully charge my battery. berp.
left to right (top): Boots Organic Face Nourishing Cleanser, Dr. Lewinn by Kinerase Wrinkle Repair Daily Lotion SPF 30, Make Up Forever HD Primer, Make Up Forever HD Invisible Foundation, Make Up Forever HD Microfinish Powder, Maybelline Define-A-Lash, Physicians Formula Translucent Powder with SPF
(bottom): Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, Clinque Shadow Kit, and Maybelline Eyeshadow in Natural Smoke
so i stopped "washing" my face. with water. it sounds gross, but i read up on it a whole bunch (and Garance Dore swears by it) so i bought a cheap facial cleanser before i committed to the real deal. the Boots Botanics is a great line, one downfall is it says "80% Organic" like wtf? don't waste my time with only 80%, why bother even advertising it this way? i think i'm going to splurge and purchase the nude cleansing oil since it gets better reviews. i guess the idea is, if you have oily skin, it really means you have super dry skin because it has to make up for the loss of oil(sounds philosophical almost) and so if you start "cleaning" your skin WITH oil, it should balance out, and you will have a gwenyth-paltrow-i-eat-omega 3's-and-use-liquid-diamonds-on-my-face-because-i-am-an-a-list-star-with-money-throw-away glow. sometimes if i get a little acne-ey, i use the walmart brand of proactive like once a week, exactly the same thing but $50 cheaper. seriously.
i just started using an spf moisurizer, and voila! i found the perfect anti-aging, spf, light-weight moisturizer ever! for reals guys, i hate hate hate wearing moisturizer, even if they say it's "light-weight" i can still feel that shit on my face, and my skin is pretty sensitive and i get these little fat bubbles on my t-zone. not cute. ps, i hate spf even more because it smells. so i found the nectar of the face gods in this little bottle you can get at your local walgreens. (legit brand since it's kinerase too, don't hate.)
after that i put on this primer by makeup forever, not sure exactly what primer did until i left it off yesterday. mega mega sticky factor. i thought by putting more stuff on my face it would get all greasy and what not so i skipped it yesterday morning, by the afternoon i just felt gross. whatever it does, just stick with it. plus, i can't even tell it's on, it just makes my skin feel hella smoother.
next i use a little bit of the laura mercier concealer, and I SWEAR BY THIS SHIT. a dab on my redness and under my eyes and perfecto! listen, if katy perry, eva mendez, and other endless celebs use this, i'm gonna use it. okay. really, i could just end my routine here and sweep on some setting powder and prance out the door, but then i look like a twelve year old so i'll keep going. i add the smallest smallest ittiest bit of foundation to my face, just in case i get stopped and have my photo taken, i can breathe a sigh of relief because i have my expensive HD makeup game face on. i used to not use ANY foundation, none, zero, but this stuff, you can barely see it, but still see it...make sense? it just evens out my skin tone and provides a matte-silky-soft finish. (<--check out all those makeup adjectives)
then i sweep on the microfinish powder, aka dust from the angels, and my face is done. as long as this process may sound, it takes only 5 minutes. tops. then i use some dark brown shadow on the outer corners of my eyes, and shimmer on the inner corner, use the cheapest blush i can find, put on massive layers of mascara and i'm good to go. **oh important important side-note, EYEBROWS, fill em in puhleeaase, it does wonders for your face. i use the same dark brown shadow and use a lip-liner brush (yes, lip liner, it's from highschool and i will never ever get rid of it).
that physicians formula powder i keep in my purse just to apply half-way through the day, and it has SPF. score.
the most important thing (i think) when it comes to looking put together, but natural, is the right cleanser, moisturizer, and concealer/foundation combo. your skin should glow, it shouldn't look like it has 10 layers of make up on it, nor should it look all flat like a bag of flour cause you put so much powder on it. if you have freckles, show them, if you have under-eye bags...well i'm sorry..that is genetic.
and, as cheezy as this sounds, a smile really does make anyone look twenty times better. drink LOTS of water, and pray to god you have asian somewhere on your side of the family. - Feb 10, 12
i had a very eerie dream last night. it sort of of shook up my whole day and thought process. i dreamt that i was stuck in this time warp (or maybe more so groundhog-hog-day-esque cycle) where adam was killed, and then i forced myself to die, and then eventually after a couple times of this morbid process, we figured out a way to stay together by continuing this pattern. we'd alter it a little bit every time, gaining realization that this was the only way we could be together. the amount of time it would take to understand that this was a situtation already repeated would become shorter, and the brief moments we knew we only had would be incredibly happy and fulfilling. i remember how unbearable of a feeling it was to think i would never see him again, or be with him again. i broke me so much that i wanted to die. i remember seeing his death in a slow excruciating capsule of time, packed with the biggest punch i've ever felt. and then when i died, i had never felt so much pain and relief simultaneously. what's even more strange is i knew i was dreaming the whole time, and eventually after the many cycles of life-death-life-death and experiencing that temporary time with someone between the alpha and omega, i was happy? can you be lucidly lucid?
once you have a finite understanding of time and how real it can be or end, the world around becomes more arbitrary and the people you want to spend it with becomes this vital force that is so pure in existence it's impossible to explain. the dream upset me, but i am also strangely grateful for it.
"I am beside myself, peering down,
senselessly, since, for us, in space, there is
neither above nor below; and thus the expression
“He is being nibbled to death by ducks” shines
with such style, such poise, and reserve,
a beautiful, puissant form and a lucid thought." - Jan 16, 12
Let's take race out of this for a second. I want to remove the precedences of color of skin, or the home you grew up in, or the way you talk, or the car you drive. I just want to talk about Mr. King as a man, a man of compassion, justice, and love, and his fight for what was right and what was wrong.
MLK was powerful in every sense of the word. He was powerful in his message, his speech, in his actions, and his influence. And he understood that this kind of power was the unbridled kind that could force an entire country to face what was unjust and lead them to what was right. King could move oceans. He brought humanity. And he was just one man.
Martin Luther King had expectations. And if he could travel to the present, he would be sad to find how this power was lost to millions of individuals who kept it for themselves. Without violence but love, King was able to unveil the truth of mankind and make them see people by "the content of their character."
This isn't a remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr. as the person, but the doctrine. This is to remind everyone that humanity cannot be lost. It's in the hands of every single person. It's in your actions and in your speech. It's in your influence. "I am not interested in power for power's sake, but I'm interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good.""Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Dec 26, 11i love christmas. everything about it. i love the songs. i love the laughter. i love the food. i love the celebration. and usually i've always looked forward to the giving and receiving of presents. i mean, come on, who doesn't? i make mental lists in my head at least a month before of what i want (ahem...post below..) and what i plan on getting friends/family. and once the 26th hits, it's all over. food is put away, stockings taken down, and gift wrapping tossed in the trash. but tonight, i was reminded that in no way is christmas over. christmas has just begun on the eve of the 24th. as cliche as all those reminders of "what christmas is really about" make you wince with guilt, and "how commercialized holidays have become" makes you roll your eyes, you know it's true. the night before christmas i like to think about all the true gifts i have received over the year--the gifts of generosity, forgiveness, health, friendship, warmth, and love---all which were given to me through the sacrifice of jesus christ. it makes me so so happy to know that this is why i'm celebrating christmas.i hope all of you get what you want this year. i know i've received more than i need. but i know i am loved and undeserving of this love. i wish you all the happiest christmas days ahead!2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
- Dec 05, 111. wrap coat
2. studio easel or A-frame easel
3. sheer/cream heart or dot tights
4. white frames of all kinds
5. ear warmers
6. lace up black booties
7. cream colored circle scarf
8. fair isle leggings
also
9. pleather skinnies
10. new apartment accessories
*note this is like the christmas list of my dreams. - Nov 29, 11
this day, this week, this month.
- it's weird to switch showers, also it's weird to switch up morning routines
- i officially don't like carpet. it grosses me out.
- red gogi...isn't really anything. what is that flavor exactly?
- all my dreams are short term memories, when am i going to go on adventures again..
- i cannot wait for christmas. can not wait.
- i don't really need anything for christmas, i have everything i want/need snuggling in my bed right now.
- can someone suggest a new drink for me? vodka gingers are getting old.
- if the world was going to end. i don't know.
- these pictures below have nothing to do with this post. they're just nice to look at.
- and
- be curious. not judgemental.source: ffffound.com | tumblr | pintrest - Nov 23, 11
in blogging tradition i am going to do another T-day post. here it goes:
i am thankful for...
- the most wonderful mom and dad, both have been so generous in the past years, i can't thank them enough.
- my brother who has honorably joined the navy, so proud!
- my chartreuse flannel sheets (that soak up adam's nasy bed sweat)
- all things potatoes: tater tots, french fries, baked potatoes, chips etc
- the benefit of the doubt
- couture and ankle boots
- my job (yay stability)
- huxley bear (the sweetest cutest animal friend)
- adam my soulmate and kindred spirit
- his family and how good they've been to us (and me!)
- law & order svu and house...because watching them makes me feel like i'm an authority on the subjects of law and medicine
- grace
- the hunger games series (katniss is one of my new favorite role models)
- listening to records while cleaning (secrets adam doesn't know about)
- alone time
- pbs sunday morning
- the pen tool in adobe
- ryan adams, bon iver, and the format and lyrics that speak to me
- my friends, old and new
- second, third, and fourth chances
- used paint brushes and a blank canvas
- fart jokes
- and cottonelle wipes
- giggles, snickers, and guffaws
- dark chocolate covered marshmallow you can only get during holidays
- and love. - Sep 26, 11
all from topshop.tumblr.comi have the last ones in black. omg those were so hard to come by fer real. - Sep 15, 11
- Sep 09, 11we wrote about how this was different
and how much sense this all made
the corners of my mouth went up every time
i read my "we."
if i could capture the individual moments
and string them together, i would tie the ends so tight
double knot it and all
hang them from every beam and corner of my mind
so they could chase away the shadows
that hide until i lose that shine. - Jul 21, 11so after living three of the hottest summers consecutively, san antonio -- brooklyn -- norfolk, i say, hands down, norfolk is the worst when it comes to hair.so. i have THREE (just three things, crazy! i know!) that will help.1) this shit. it's amazing. and it runs you about $4 at a drugstore. it's light-weight and is the "defense against the dark arts" worthy when it comes to frizz-poofy-humidified-hair-dark-arts. tresemme smooth shine spray. (someone once told me i had commercial shiny hair, i attribute it to this bottled liquid gem.)2) this bad boy right here. most amazing hair dyer in the world. And I swear it is worth your investment. It will weather-proof your hair for summers and winters to come. it has like 5,323,491 different settings. humidity and dryness beware. they also carry an assortment of crazy hair fighting products--check it here.3) hair pick. i know. "but helen, you have such tangle-free asian hair!" yeah, well i haven't "brushed" my hair since 5th grade. i get out of the shower and i comb out my long-ass mane. (p.s. thanks britt for giving me your extra one..i still have it..it's been 6 years!)so there you have it. my hair secrets. you're welcome ya'll.
- Jun 23, 11let's be honest. i've worn that crop top at least once a week the past month.and i love the idea of mixing bright shades of green. yes?Short (see more high waisted shorts)
- May 26, 11these are the classes i will be taking:- summer sandwich making- thunderstorms: conversations on a porch- beach: avoiding sand in the bed- sundresses & shorts- beach ball throwing- how to pack a cooler- colors: an in-depth look into summer shades- the etiquette of hand-holding- the best bikini for your body- music 201: summer hit + sound of waves
- Mar 25, 11
- Mar 19, 11
right now i'm watching a marathon of "house" sipping wine (who am i kidding? guzzling) which followed a marathon of sex and the city episodes wondering what i'm going to do tomorrow, next week, month..year. i've also stared at this computer screen deciding between 3 different color palettes for a design for a friend and editing some photos i took last weekend. red couch. sweat pants. and a bright pink "chicago" shirt given by my dad, so worn in it has gigantic holes big enough to fit my head through.
my life has become predictable. and i wonder, am i okay with that? i think so. maybe i expect a lifestyle of exciting events and spontaneous decisions..but when i lived that for a short four months...i envied the person with a routine. a steady job, renting dvds, grabbing bagels, and cleaning on the weekend...pretty much my past few weeks. i got a new job. it's been great and now i'm just waiting for everything else to follow suit..not sure what that is exactly yet (or what that means).
this is my saturday. - Mar 10, 11i love these dye dipped ropes from designer Tanya Aguiniga. Also, this shopping site is nicely designed, i love the way they set up all their products.those colors are perfect for a rainy spring.source: vitrine
- Feb 08, 11| Deborah Marquit French lace underwired bra | Giuseppe Zanotti Women's E17043 Ankle BootKenneth Jay Lane 22-karat gold-plated bib necklace | Candy BOx Purse by La RegaleWildfox Love Potion No. 9 Varsity Unisex Tee | Vince skirts GOLD | Freida Lace Shorts by Sretsis at Maximilliaa little vday inspiration. just a couple hearts, cupcakes, and lace.
- Jan 27, 11most come from a cute tumblr called mary ruffle.i can't wait to decorate my own place. inspired by rustic, blues, greens, cream & whites, fabricscute patterns, minimal country.
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Info
- Web Designer | Content Producer | Social Media Coordinator at The Virginian-PilotDesign | Greater New York City Area, USSummaryIn-House Graphic Designer and Marketing Coordinator at Pocket Communications. For the past half year I have been creating and designing in-house promotional and marketing collateral. I have contributed in several new and current campaigns including referral and retention programs, events, and seasonal campaigns.
As Graphic Designer to the Office of Admissions, I have experience with layouts, web design, logos, detailed maps, programs, and other creative design. I have worked on several design projects during my college career for the School of Media Arts & Design Department including marketing material and websites.
As web design instructor at iD Tech, I have learned to restructure and create curriculum better suited to my classes. My major and concentration in Corporate Communication has allowed me to become familiar with writing plans for advertising, e-marketing, employee communication, and in-depth research.Specialties: Adobe Creative Suite: InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Macromedia Fusion, and also familiar with Flash. - HTML, XHTML, CSS, and some Javascript. - Corporate Communication: identity and branding, employee communication, risk management, IR, and annual reports.Experience- Mar 2011 - PresentWeb Designer | Content Producer | Social Media Coordinator / The Virginian-Pilot
- Oct 2010 - Feb 2011Marketing Coordinator / REIN, inc.
- May 2010 - Sept 2010Freelance Graphic Designer | Intern / Red Light ManagementDesigning promotional / web material for company clients. Gaining hands-on experience with the music industry in areas of promotion, tour marketing, design, and industry trends.
- Sept 2009 - May 2010Marketing Coordinator | Graphic Designer / Pocket Communications- Design in-house company brochures, flyers, posters promotional material and other marketing collateral. - Coordinate and design for various company ad hoc work. - Brainstorm ideas for new and current campaigns, as well as effective marketing material.
- Aug 2008 - Jun 2009Graphic Designer / James Madison UniversityCreated brochures, fliers, maps and any other deliverables for university events and organizations. Using all Adobe CS3 Design programs. I have created marketing materials for most JMU orientation programs including: JMU CHOICES, Preview Day, Open Houses, and Minority Programs.
- Jun 2008 - Aug 2008Web Design Instructor / iD Tech CampsTeaching ages 7-17 computer programs like Macromedia Fusion, Adobe Photoshop CS3, and Adobe Dreamweaver. Created and developed curriculum and activities.
- Aug 2007 - May 2008Art Dept. Administrative Assistant / James Madison UniversityPerformed clerical and administrative duties including helping faculty / staff with planning and research. Maintained schedules, gave tours to prospective students and frequently used Microsoft Office Suite to carry out tasks.
Education-
2005 - 2009James Madison UniversityBachelor of Arts in Media Arts & Design
Additional Information-
Websites:
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Honors:President's List Spring Semester 2007 Dean's List Three Semesters SMAD Student Special Recognition 2009
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Interests:illustration, graphic design, web design, fashion, writing, reading, music
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