February 2012 Portfolio

The following photos are a sample of some of the work I have done this month so far.

Above: Contrasting colours in my sister Erika's hair

Above: Finished color in Erika's hair (she didn't want to show her face)

She is a level 2 Brown on the under layers of her hair, with level 9 and 10 blonde highlights on top of her level 6 natural blonde.  I finished her look with a long triangle layer cut while trying not to eliminate any of her existing length.

Erika didn't feel as though we had made enough of a statement in her new hair colours, so we added a few single purple fashion color panels throughout the sides and in her fringe

January 2012 Portfolio

Promotional Boudoir Photoshoot with Vanessa Ross Photography (http://vanessarossphotography.com/) All hair was done by me...we had a really wonderful time working with all of these beautiful ladies.  So many different kinds of beautiful.

Things I learned from Tristin Morrison

Today I went into school on my morning off to attend a 3 hour haircutting seminar and demonstration taught by Tristin Morrison (http://www.tristinmorrison.com/) who is the senior creative director for Aveda Canada.  I was so excited to meet him and see him in action...however I did not expect for him to change my life in the way that he did.  Below are just a couple of things I took away from today's presentation.

1. The average Stylist in Canada makes $26,000.00 annually.
This figure absolutely floored me.  $26,000.00!?  That's pitiful.  Especially when the course itself costs at least half of that.  Tristin really gave all of us starry-eyed students a wake up call today.  Becoming a six figure income stylist is my ultimate goal.  I'd like to say it's in my five year plan, but, realistically it's probably better suited to my ten year plan (by the time I'm 30).  He made us realize just how hard we're actually going to have to work to get to that point.  This isn't a career for the faint of heart.  And to become an "average" stylist and work in an "average" salon and make the "average" annual income of $26,000.00 is what a lot of students are going to end up doing.  I've never been average, and I'm never going to be average.  Tristin, for lack of a better expression, lit a fire under my ass in showing me just how much dedication and sacrifice will go into becoming exceptional in my field.

2. Immersion is Key.
There are going to be times when your craft and your art need to take priority over absolutely everything else in the world.  To become a master, it is essential to immerse yourself completely into the world of hair and fashion.

3. Never Stop Learning.
We work in a field where trends and techniques are ever-changing and evolving all the time.  Like Tristin and so many others, I find my greatest passion comes from education.  The salon where I began working this week actually requires their staff to participate in a minimum of 5 educational events each year.  Sometimes there is a large cost or time commitment involved.  But you will not be a successful stylist if you ever put your learning to an end.

4. Kiss Regular Schedules Goodbye.
This one is probably the hardest for me to digest.  The rest of the world goes to work Monday - Friday, 9 - 5.  When do people get their hair done?  When they're not working, of course!  This is when the busiest times for a stylist begin to arise.  You must accept a life in which evenings and weekends will almost always be a time for work.

5. It Is Very Difficult To Have a Family in this Industry.
Because of everything stated above, mainly the scheduling issues, having a family proves to be especially challenging for stylists who are truly passionate in becoming successful in their art.  When you have children and wives and husbands who need care and attention during the evenings and weekends (when you are at work) life may become very interesting.  I also plan to do a great deal of work in my career as a stylist that will require me to travel.  A lot.  Do the math.


This may all sound wildly discouraging to the average reader.  Today was actually a spectacularly positive and inspirational turning point for me.  To me, these challenges are something that I am choosing not to see as "challenges" at all, but rather as opportunities.  Opportunities to push myself to my absolute limits and to keep moving forward to a life that I can not wait to be living.

It's certainly not for everyone.

xo-ac

The Universe Will Provide

I'm quite a sight for sore eyes right now.  It's 10:00am on a Tuesday and I am sitting on the living room couch in my parents house in Kelowna in plaid PJ pants and leopard print slipper socks.  I've got a beagle to my left and a giant bowl of strawberries on my right...it's safe to say that I'm pretty content!

I just wanted to update my lovely family and friends on the turn of events in my life this past week.  The last post I wrote was on the train on my way to the Aveda Red Chocolate class and I honestly had no idea how my life was going to change that day.  I spent 7 hours in a chair being fussed over and colored and re-colored and toned and glossed...I'm certainly not complaining, it was an incredible experience and I learned a ton.  (Not gonna lie, I looked pretty damn good once she was finished with me too!!)  All the hair models proceeded to the Palliser hotel to a big conference room so that we could be presented to the rest of the group of Aveda representatives.  After my presentation I was just about to run out to catch the train back home when Kelli, who is the head director at my school, waved me over.  She had been speaking to Jennifer, who manages four Aveda salonspas in Calgary called "Diva"...who was looking to hire somebody from the institute.  She really liked my "look" and the way that I presented myself in front of the group, so I guess she asked Kelli about my work ethic and, after receiving positive reviews (phew!), she really wanted to meet with me.  I went and introduced myself, we had a brief chat, and the next morning at 10am I found myself in her office being offered the position.

Somehow I managed to convince my manager at the pub to let me stay on one night a week (I have to make money somehow...haha) and I managed to work out a perfect schedule at the salon as well.  I am pulling almost 110 hours a week between work and school, which is absolutely insane, but like everything else in my crazy life, I will make it work.  I get every second Sunday off (HIKING HERE I COME!!!!!!) so that will be awesome as well...my shortest work days will be 12 hours long...haha...I'm just trying not to think about it.  I need to stay focused on my health and my wellbeing in order to NOT burn myself out completely in the next 10 months.  It's going to be tight for sure...especially financially...and I thought I was already on a tight budget.  I'm taking a substantial pay cut in order to take this opportunity but to me, it's worth it.

I guess I won't be able to shop at the farmer's market anymore :( goodbye, fresh local produce...hello, president's choice superstore brand...haha...

I think it's a small price to pay.  It's going to be so worth it.

Big dreams people, BIG DREAMS.  And Jennifer is so ridiculously supportive...I have never felt more sure of anything.

The universe has a funny way of dropping things into your lap RIGHT when you need them (even if you don't necessarily realise that you need them yet)...I can't even begin to explain how grateful I am right now. 

It's going to be a wild ride.  Good thing I live off of passion and adrenaline instead of food and sleep.  ;)


xo-ac

Happy Valentine's Day!

I am writing this post while on the train. I am not quite sure how to feel about that. Anyway. Today I have a 'day off'...which I sometimes get once a week (it's magical) and I'm heading downtown to my school as I am modeling for a hair coloring class called Red Chocolate. Can't wait to see what they do...it's being taught by the one and only David Adams (which is a huge deal to me) and then after that I'm headed to my Uncle's fiancé's house for Valentines Day dinner! My uncle lives and works in LA and wasn't able to make it home for V Day so Marv is putting on a 'Dinner for Lonely Hearts'..fair enough.

I don't think I'd go as far as to say that I am a lonely heart. I get lonely sometimes, sure, but the best part about being on my own right now is learning how to love my friends and family to the absolute maximum that I can. I have been so busy being a girlfriend for the last 4 years that I forgot how to be a good friend, a good sister, a good daughter. I'm re-learning what love means altogether and it's so refreshing! Now I look around me at all of these people in my life an cant believe how much love I have for them.

Valentine's day can often get blown out of proportion and taken out of context by the way that it's marketed to society. Commercialism is a bitch that way. Personally, I'm stoked to spend this day focusing all the love in my heart on the people I'm surrounded by...whoever they may be! I'm going to buy flowers for whoever ends up doing my hair at this class and bring little treats for everyone at dinner tonight. Just because you aren't currently in a romantic relationship doesn't mean this day can't be devoted to love!

At the same time, I did feel the pressure of V Day when I was asked to go out with a couple of different guys in the last little while. I wondered who the hell I was as I politely declined..because the old Me would have jumped at the chance to go on some romantic valentines date. I guess maybe I'm just not ready for anything like that right now. Or maybe I just didn't want to turn down a chance to enjoy Marva's cooking at the lonely hearts dinner. Who knows.

All I know is that I love love. And even though I'm not in love and don't even particularly want to be in love, it warms my heart to see all the people in this world that are. It's inspiring to know how such a strong feeling can take hold of your entire world and change your life in ways that you never even believed were possible. I've been lucky enough to feel it twice before, let it go, and watch life go on. I know it will come and go again. That's the thing about love. There are never guarantees, but it's one of the most beautiful elements of life on earth.

So whether you're in love, angry with love, fed up with love, inspired by love, or looking for love..I encourage you to spend this day loving everyone you possibly can. Guess what, random reader? I love YOU!

xo-ac

Keep Moving Forward

This big busy bustling city never seems to stop moving. At times I have been tempted to stand on the side of the road with a sign that says 'where the hell is everybody going?!'  It never ceases to amaze me that, whether it's Friday at 6pm or Tuesday at 4am, the city is rushing, and people are everywhere! Walking, running, driving, on the trains..where in the world could they all be going. Honestly.

I'm really looking forward to getting out of Calgary for a few days next week. I'm heading to Kelowna for the weekend for a quick visit with my dad and sister...it will be a blessing to break free from the rush for a while.

School is going well. It's consuming my life completely these days, when I'm not working at the bar. I have made a few tough decisions in the last few days, some financial cutbacks I was sad to make, and the beginning of what could have been a great relationship that I put to an end. But I felt myself losing focus of what is truly important right now..which is my education, a jumpstart on my career, and most importantly; what lies ahead.

I want to move to California in the next 3-5 years, which is what's keeping me going right now. It's a huge goal to strive for in such a short time as I have a lot to accomplish in order to find employment in a top salon in one of the hairstyling capitals of the world. But I'm driven and pushing forward harder than I even knew I could, and every time I lose focus I just bring myself to the thoughts of LA and my life there someday..and suddenly it all becomes worth it. Every overtime hour I pull at work, every day I suffer through on 3 hours of sleep, every social event I turn down because I need to practice my art, every box of Kraft dinner I eat to save towards the thousands of dollars I will need to permanently move my life to another country. It doesn't seem like that much of a sacrifice in the grand scheme of things.

I can't believe I've only been in school for a month. I've never learned so much so fast, and it blows my mind to think about how much I already know. I take my first real live human client in 7 days.  I've got freelance side work lined up for next month.

Life is finally falling together when only weeks ago I could have sworn it was falling apart.

xo-ac