hallelujah

hallelujah 

and praise the heavens.

my very last fall semester is officially over.

and i am overjoyed.

(to say the least).

I still have two finals to take, but my project is out of the way.

All semester we have been working on our Senior Capstone project,

 which is designing a 22 floor W Hotel.

 Floor plans, perspectives, materials, and all the fixings.

It's been quite the task!

If you haven't ever heard of The W Hotels, click here.

They are incredibly classy. 

Each hotel is branded specifically based on the city it is built in.

(It's on my bucket list to stay at one someday. 

When and Where have yet to be determined, but it will happen.)

Our project is based in Salt Lake City. So we had to pull all of our inspiration directly from SLC.

I took my concept quite literally and based my concept on the actual Great Salt Lake. I did tons of research on the formation of salt and how it forms in pools and layers that are created.

Kind of neat.

Here's a bit of the process...

Concept/ Inspiration Board
Two images are actual photos of the lake in it's frozen stages.
My color scheme and concept of layers and depth are based of these two photos.
(P.S. I can't get this image to rotate, I apologize.)

Line drawing of corridor.

3D View of Corridor in it's beginning stages.

Bird's Eye View of Guest Suite.

Here's a poster I presented last Thursday to 6 visiting designers. This is my board for my Lobby, Reception Desk, and Grand Staircase. It still has a few kinks that need worked out, but by the end of next semester this project will be COMPLETED. I will also have all of my computer rendering images done, for now, I have just hand drafted the majority of them.

This studio class has taken a HUGE amount of my time. 

But another class I enjoyed taking this semester was a drawing class I took for my art elective. 

It totally got me out of my comfort zone. 

I started working with charcoal, which  I have never ever used. And I'm not going to lie, it is quite difficult. Here are some of the projects I did for that class.

3D Perspective of boxes. 

Portrait of a fellow student.

This was suppose to look like the New York Skyline, and it doesn't.
Epic fail.

It's been a fun semester, but stressful.

Glad it's over.

Lastly,

couldn't end this post without this picture.

Gosh, I love my job!

Another productive night at work! I had way too much fun riding around the store with the clothing manager's daughter, and amongst all the fun, we ended up selling a few of the scooters. I'd consider it a successful night!

yum.

I COOK ALL THE TIME.

Hypothetically speaking..

(Hahahahahaha.)

ok, who are we kidding?

I haven't cooked in ages...

between school and work, I usually roll in a little too late to cook; 

so it's either cereal or who knows what for dinner.

AND

usually it's this huge joke to my family about me cooking....

But Mother, you'd be proud! 

I cooked today.

I was doing some pinning on Pinterest and found this lovely site.

Honestly.

SO STINKING DELICIOUS.

Excuse me while I go finish another slice.

Try it, I dare you!

(P.S. Who would have thought Cilantro was so dang good on pizza?)

today.

Today,

 I'm thinking of this lady.

 

It's been 14 years... (Go to Link).

pretty darn blessed & grateful

So.....

 here I am, it's currently 3:05 a.m. and I cannot sleep, because I will admit that I am a little giddy about the fact that I do not have school OR work tomorrow AND I get to see my family in just a matter of hours. 

I'd be a pretty rude person if I didn't take a few minutes to do what ya'll have been doing all month, expressing gratitude. I've enjoyed seeing everyone's posts & statuses about what they are grateful for. I've been doing some deep reflecting this month and seriously, I am a pretty blessed girl and I have SO many things to be grateful for. 

First off, this crew. 

My home team, my support system, my main squeeze, my family.

Seriously, I am so incredibly blessed to have such a great family. It's so crazy how old we are all getting. It amazes me that the older I get, the more and more I appreciate each and every one of these guys. I look up to them, not only literally, because although I may be the oldest, all my siblings are now taller than me, but I also look up to them for their dedication, attitudes, and love they show towards me and my family.

My siblings and I have been blessed with two dedicated, strong-willed, hard working, persevering, hilarious, loving, outgoing, parents. I wouldn't trade them for the world.

My Extended Family.

Between my dad's side and my mom's side, we are spread out pretty much everywhere along the west, and although I don't get to see them very often, I enjoy seeing how each and everyone of them are progressing. I am thankful for technology that keeps me in touch with them. I am grateful for their examples and the lessons they have taught me and the memories I have made with them.

Opportunities.

This year I have been blessed with so many opportunities. I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. Each opportunity we are given, gives us experience, that in the end, prepares us for the next one. 

Employment.

Two summers ago, I stumbled upon this lovely little part time job at DownEast Home, with intentions of quitting at the end of the Summer, not thinking I would actually stay, but I am so glad I did. I LOVE MY JOB. Some days, I might drag my feet, and think of a million other things I'd rather be doing, but honestly this job has probably one of the best things for me. I work with some of the most amazing people, my home crew and the clothing girls, a lot of them feel almost like family because we spend so much time together. It's a blast, even if they can't say my name right and refuse to call me by my real one, or hack my facebook statuses, or hide behind furniture, waiting to scare the crap out of me. I love each and every one of them!

Education.

1.25 Semesters left to go! Can you believe it? It's crazy! The last 4 years have been quite the adventure. It's been a roller coaster, from project to project, but I must say, I've learned something from each and every class I've taken, formed a friendship with each and every one of my talented professors, and gained better respect for myself and my abilities throughout each semester. I know without a doubt that Utah State University is exactly where I was suppose get my schooling, in the very city of Logan, Utah, surrounded by the exact people I needed to be influenced by, at this very time in my life. 

Now, what the heck am I going to do in April when I graduate?

[Haha, if one more person asks me this question, I might give them a high-five... in the face.. with a chair. Just kidding, but seriously!]

Friends.

Wooooooweeeee! Seriously, friends, new and old, I HAVE THE VERY BEST! I wouldn't trade any of them for anything. Each one of them has entered my life at the exact time I have needed them and have remained to be the very people I need them to be. I have so many friends I never thought I would be so close to, but I am so grateful for them. 

Burley.

Yep, I really just wrote that. Never EVER, would I ever think that I would write that as one of the MAIN HUGE MAJOR things I am thankful for, but really, I have fallen completely in love with Burley. It's crazy. I miss that place so much and have found myself driving their more often than I ever have. I don't regret growing up there one bit, it's seriously one of the best places on earth, and the people, no one can compare to! :) 

[I keep joking to my mom that I'm moving back after I graduate.... I hear the interior design industry is really "thriving" there ;)]

The Gospel.

After my summer in NYC, words cannot express to you how my love for the gospel has grown. The gospel has always been a huge part of my life, but I had never realized this until I was out on my own, where so many people do not share the same beliefs as mine. It caused me to stand on my own two feet, stand up for what I believe in, and really find out that the things we are taught, we are taught for a reason and for OUR benefit. The simple teachings of the gospel make our lives less complicated and filled with abundant blessings that bring us true happiness. 

I've learned to be grateful for the little things. Simple Everyday Pleasures. My Drive to School. Phone calls. Responsibilities. Service. Good roomates. A functioning vehicle. Yummy meals. Unanswered prayers. Warm weather, cold weather, rainy days, and sunshine. Trying new things. Meeting new people. My student ward. Little kids. 

My list could go on and on..

but I'll leave it at that. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

have you seen my brain?

missing:

my brain

seriously. i could go on and on.

story after story.

telling you the many occasions this week, where i have wanted to crawl under a bench and hide.

because

i think my brain is missing.

[the icing on the cake]

so wednesday on my way home from class i decided i was definitely in need of a diet coke. so i pull up to wendy's and order one.

as i pull up to the second window and the employee tells me my total, i suddenly realize that my wallet is in my backpack.. which inevitably is located in my trunk.

crap!

i go to open my door and realize that oh dear.. my door is too close to the drive up window to exit the vehicle.

i look at the employee.

"just a second!"

(ya right now you're thinking, ok lisha seriously? don't worry, i was thinking the same..)

i then proceed to put my car into park.

hop my front seat, then

hop my backseat.

grab my wallet out of my backpack.

hop the backseat.

hop the front seat.

by this point in time, 3 wendy's employees had huddled around the drive thru window and were LAUGHING THEIR HEADS OFF.

i hand them my debit card, take my coke, and zoom off.

so embarassing.

i think i will blame my brain and the lack there of, on this lovely little routine i am trying to get use to.. its called school.

and unfortunately, it's kicking my behind.

2 semesters. i can do this.

when did i grow up?

it's honest to gosh, crazy to me that i am already entering my last year of college.

i feel old to say the least.

especially, since my little sister is now at UVU.

i swear just the other day we were driving to highschool together.

so weird.

i started my fall semester yesterday. it was a struggle. i only had one class,

but still...

I CANT BELIEVE SUMMER IS GONE.

today.

tuesday & thursdays.

are jam packed.

but they will be so fun.

two studio classes and two art classes.

my new apartment is SO NICE & ROOMY.

my roomates are hilarious and so sweet.

my new ward is great.

it's great being back at downeast.

i'm excited to see what fall brings. :)

new blog

for the summer i will be blogging at..

www.bigcitysummer.blogspot.com

see you there :)

downeast friends and family event

hey ya'll

this weekend is our friends & family weekend at any downeast location. go to this link and print out the coupon for an exclusive 20% off your entire purchase.

http://www.downeastbasicsblog.com/email/friends&family_email.htm

enjoy. :)

visiting designer :)

so..

for the past month and a half, the junior studio has been working on a collaboritve project with an interior designer from new york, ghislene vinas. SUCH A NEAT LADY. yesterday, usu flew her out to spend a few days with us. such an incredible lady! born in the netherlands, raised in south africa, she now lives and runs her own business in new york. her stuff is crazy and out of the box.

take a look...

http://www.gvinteriors.com/

the project consisted of space planning and design work for an exisiting space,
a loft in Tribeca for the Mendez family. It was such a great experience and really pushed me as a designer to get out of my comfort zone and try a few wacky things. we were required to have 5 boards, 3 renderings, a floor plan, and we also designed a wall paper for the space. we spent monday and tuesday getting the studio ready for miss gv! wednesday started off with a 7 o'clock breakfast with her, then at 9:30 we did our presentations. TALK ABOUT BEING NERVOUS. at breakfast i nearly threw up, haha and to make matters slightly worse, when i got to the studio my boards had slipped.. oh well. things turned out well. i was one of the first to present. due to my mind being in lala land, i don't remember a word she said to me except she complimented me on my dress. :) then we had a luncheon followed by a presentation she did for campus. an extremely busy day, but all in all it was a great experience and i learned so much. i can't wait for more experiences like this.

my display!! (look my boards are crooked...)

the studio all decked out for miss gv!! look at all our lovely wallpaper designs hanging from

the ceiling :)

the kitchen.
the bedroom.
the playroom.

...what i learned this week...

sometimes its ok to slow down, sleep in, skip class. expect the unexpected. try new things. hang out with new people. enjoy good weather. make dinner an event. clean. take advice from someone younger than you. reunite. work a little harder. change your plans.be nice, regardless the situation. keep trying.go on. go with the flow. roll with the punches.

take it {one} day at a time.

here's to a good week.

i think he said it pretty well...

happy monday! :)

the low down.

well my friends, it's been forever and a decade since my last post, so i thought i'd finally catch ya'll up and give you the low down. holy tamole! its been crazy this last little bit. i don't even know where to begin. i feel like i've been running around like a chicken with it's head cut off for the past 2 months, but things are finally settling down, and my plans are beginning to fall into place. i've always been a girl with a plan. i always knew what was gonna happen next. the past 2 months i had been struggling MEGA because for the first time ever, i had no plan, and no idea what my plans for the summer would hold. for my program, we are required to do a 6 week internship the summer before our senior year, which would be THIS summer. WHERE WOULD I EVEN GO? would i stay in utah? yes, i would, because i have a great job here, got offered a huge promotion, it would work out perfectly. so i had my heart pretty much set on it, knew exactly how it would roll out, and i was perfectly content with staying in logan and settling for an internship here. i had it all thought out, and it felt right, or so i thought. a few weeks into the semester, my professor had a little pow wow with us, and told us some info on finding an internship and then the conversation got deeper... he started talking about how big of an effect our internship really would have on our career. how getting out there and making yourself known not only shapes your design, but you as a person. he said how much he believed in us, and told us how so many firms have been impressed my our schoool's program. then he dropped the bomb, he didn't want anyone doing an internship in utah, unless under HUGE circumstances that they absolutely could not leave the state. after leaving class that day, i knew i was in trouble. i'm not one to really go big and bold, and take risks. (well, i have definitely come out of my shell since highschool, but STILL, my name is alisha harman, and im comfortable and content and HAPPY with where i am. who needs change?) anyways, i started talking to girls who did internships last year, i started googling places, looking at lists and lists of the top designers in the country. i prayed and prayed and prayed about it. nothing was coming. i didn't know what to do. i started talking to my dad about it. he wasn't too fond of me going somewhere far, but deep down i knew i needed to. over the previous months, a course of events that had taken place, things not working out that i had hoped would, but knowing that they hadn't worked out for one reason or another.. i kept praying. finally, i compiled a list of about 60 places throughout the country that i was going to send a friendly little email to, inquiring if they were accepting summer interns. i sent them out. i got various replies. ranging from about 14 "no" emails to 5 emails saying yes, send us your stuff! and the rest were either rude, shady, or just never replied. so for the ones who replied "yes"... i put together a lovely little digital portfolio of a few of my best pieces, a resume, and a letter, and sent it out. for the next week i waited, things were officially out of my hands. i had done basically all i could do, now it was up to them, and i got to play the waiting game. i heard back immediately from one firm in NYC, one who I REALLY REALLY LIKED. i had looked over her website, looked at her portfolio, done some research, and read up on her and her designers' bios. i felt so so good about her. it was a small firm, the head designer had been an editor of 2 major interior design magazines, and was ranked as one of Elle Decor's top 20 designers. i knew if i got accepted by her, i wouldn't get lost in the shuffle, and i would get so much experience, and be able to dig my hands into so many things, because her design field was so broad, she had a fabric and wall paper line, and her work was so spread out. her reply to the email said she thought my portfolio was wonderful and that she would love to set up a phone interview with me. two days later, i was on the phone with her senior designer for an interview. i have to admit that phone interviews are just as intimidating as in person, actually probably a little scarier, because at least in real life you get to see the person, and learn a few things about them. however, it went well. she told me she would let me know within the next couple of days when they made their final decision... meanwhile i got a few other emails from firms saying they wanted interviews. so i went through with those, those went good as well, but i still really was crossing my fingers for this other internship. none of them had felt as right as the first one. so i kept waiting patiently. so FINALLY, i heard back from them, AND... they wanted me as their intern. June 1 til August 1. I told them i was completely flattered, but i would have to work out a few details before i could give them a definite yes. i was EXSTATIC! i called my dad. no answer. i called my mom, no answer. FREAK WHERE IS EVERYONE WHEN I HAVE GOOD NEWS TO TELL???? finally my dad called me back, he said he would need a little bit to think about it and make sure he felt right about sending his daughter out there. i dont blame him, but STILL... i was dying. this was an opportunity of a life time. i had finally gotten use to the idea myself, i had EMBRACED the fact taht i needed change. i needed to get out there, especially since i have nothing or no one holding me back at the moment. i really felt like i needed this. for the first time in weeks, i finally had peace of mind, the pit in my stomach had gone away, and i could finally sleep. i knew it was right, i was just waiting for my dad to feel the same. the next morning he called me back and gave me the greenlight. so i called them up and gave them my affirmitive YES. and folks, i've felt great ever since... (ok so it's only been 4 days since i said yes,) BUT STILL, you wouldn't believe how much better i feel. there are still a few details i need to work out, such as housing? haha but for the most part i feel like i have things figured out and am counting down the days til june 1. i can't wait. after all of this, i have learned so much. it was such a difficult/rough process, but i wouldn't trade it for a thing.

i heard this quote by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and i feel like it fits perfectly...

"God expects you to have enough faith and determination and enough trust in him to keep moving, keep living, keep rejoicing. In fact, he expects you not simply to face the future; he expects you to embrace and shape the future-- to love it and rejoice in it and delight in your opportunities."

...and thats exactly what this internship is helping me to do. so here's to a better attitude towards change, and having faith in a great summer in NYC. :)

here's where i'll be interning:

http://www.katieridder.com/

and if i can figure out how to upload my portfolio onto here, then i shall do that as well. haha

studio final project

well i finished up the semester with a HUGE project for my commercial studio class. over 30,000 sq feet of floorplans for CARTOON NETWORK's corporate headquarters. it was such a fun project. definitely a little wacky, but definitely a new experience for me. boy was i glad to finally get some sleep once i turned this baby in... :)

the whole concept of the project was to incorporate wellness into a corporate space. they wanted us to create a space that was super convenient for employees and promote a healthy workspace. we were encouraged to put "break out areas" into our floorplans so employees would have a place to escape at work and keep their minds free flowing.

unlike the rest of the group, who put gyms and yoga areas into their spaces, my teacher wanted me to think a little more out of the box, since my company CARTOON NETWORK, was already quite the space to work with, so instead of your typical work out space, i put in a full blown playground for the employees. complete with a 2 story tree house.

the entire space was to mimic a neighborhood, hence the reason why the cubicles are houses,

making cartoon network one big neighborhood.

here are my final board layouts:

( the empty black squares are where i put my actual material samples.)