This is to be my symphony

I'm officially a New Yorker! 

It's a wonderful thing...a city with constant hustle and bustle can bring such calm. I feel like I finally belong. Already this city has taught me so much about what brings happiness. It's not the lights or the glitz and the glam, but the moments in between. The laughs between roommates who become best friends, the breathtaking horizon of the skyline at dusk, the strangers who become teachers, and, most importantly, the person you find inside yourself with each adventure. 


Just a little update :) Stay tuned 

“To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury; and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable; and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasion, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony.” ~William Ellery Channing


xoxo.

L is for the way...

Even though February (the month of love) is almost over I thought that I would post this list I found from fellow blogger, Judy Clement, that reminds us that the most important love one can have is love for yourself. I am a true believer in this and I think these are great tips and, in fact, just the other day someone sent me a message out of the blue (like the text mentioned in #4) that simply said "you're beautiful!" and it turned my whole day around.

I hope everyone today can take time out of their day to spread love to someone or to themselves, even if it is just a hug, a simple text message or in one of these other ways:

1. Hug someone. The excellent thing about hugs is that they are as good for the hugger as they are for the huggee. Research shows that hugs lasting at least six seconds optimize the flow of mood-boosting chemicals.


2. Send a text. My Love Project started with a text I received one day when I was cold and frustrated and bitchy. “Judy, you are beautiful,” it said, and just like that, my mood was transformed. I grinned. I felt loved. I texted back, and my friend felt loved too. It’s a lot like a hug; the love flows both ways.

3. Give yourself a guilt-free pass. For fifteen minutes, give yourself permission to eat something delicious, read something funny, daydream, doodle, wander… guilt free.

4. Write a letter to yourself. Let you know you care.

5. Breathe. Stop. And. Breathe. And in that space between inhale and exhale, love the imperfect, beautiful, messy, magnificent jumble-of-awesome that is you.

Spread the movement of love :)

Crafty-shmafty

Lately I have been seeing these super cute "yarn wreaths" in the local stores around neighborhood but unfortunately they cost an arm and a leg... 

After careful inspection I came to the conclusion that they didn't look too difficult to create and I had a hankering for some serious craft time.

So I went to the nearest craft store and put my thinking cap on and bought the supplies I thought would be necessary.

I thought I would start out with the basics and bought a straw wreath and some cheap yarn in a neutral color and got crackin'

Step 1: First, take your wreath (with the plastic still on, believe me, you'll thank me later) and tie one end of the yarn around the wreath. Once you've done that start wrapping the yarn around the wreath. (It's going to take a while so I suggest you multi-task and maybe watch a movie at the same time)

Step 2: Once you've finished covering your wreath (2 or 3 movies later.) It's time to start decorating!

Instead of making felt flowers like the examples I had seen in the store I thought I would try silk flowers from the craft store (in the scrapbook section.) I think they look just as good and it saves a TON of time!

I also added some peacock feathers and sequins to spice it up a bit!

Step 3: I took decorative trim and wrapped it around the wreath like I had done with the yarn and then took tacky glue and arranged the flowers and feathers until I had the perfect fit and glued them down.

Voila! My very own wreath:

I am pretty pleased with how it turned out and I can't wait to display it proudly on my front door!

Happy Crafting!

-xoxo.

into the middle of things....

....or "in medias res."

 In medias res is a literary narrative concept used by authors to describe an event that has taken place by first explaining the end result and then going back to the beginning and explaining what happened in order for the said event to actually happen. (Think CSI style)

When I researched this concept it immediately made me think about the year that is about to come to a close and how the concept of looking "into the middle of things" is a great way to dissect the journey one's life has taken throughout the course of a year.

If I were to look at the end result from this past year I would sum it up in three words: Character, Strength, and Drive.

I look at myself in the mirror and I see someone who as grown in so many different ways and I love who I see. More than teaching myself what I can be I think that this year has merely revealed to me what I had lying within me all along.


May the next year bring prosperity, knowledge, and beauty
I have a feeling I'm in for something big

Let your heart be light

Finally Christmas break has arrived!! It seemed like it would never arrive but the busiest semester of my life has finally come to a close and I have learned more about myself in this past semester than I ever thought possible. I am so thankful for the strength I have found in every lesson inside and outside of the classroom and I am very happy with the way my life has been going :)

Because I am working most of this break to pay those billzzz and to save up for my move to NYC I am spending most of my Christmas away from home, but I still thought I a little Christmas cheer was in order so I did a little decorating:

My mother found the PERFECT tree for my home away from home, complete with crafty lil' ornaments!

Paired with some Christmas Carols a-la "The Weepies" and Ingrid and I am in the holiday spirit for sure!

This year santa came a little early and I am now a proud Mac user :) 

And even though Santa will not be stopping by my house again this year I decided it would be fun to make a pretend wish list:

I wish I could find a way to pimp out my lovely bike Cecilia for Christmas just like this one

Or perhaps a new record player since my oldschool record player finally kicked the bucket :(

Maybe a big book filled with quotes and words of wisdom? (Ralph Waldo Emerson and e.e. cummings please :) )

But when everything is said and done I have been so lucky this past year and really I don't need anything more that what I already have, but I guess I'll keep the MacBook anyway ; )

-xoxo.

Note to self :

“Go now and live. Experience. Dream. Risk. Close your eyes and jump. Enjoy the freefall. Choose exhilaration over comfort. Choose magic over predictability. Choose potential over safety. Wake up to the magic of everyday life. Make friends with your intuition. Trust your gut. Discover the beauty of uncertainty. Know yourself fully before you make promises to another. Make millions of mistakes so that you will know how to choose what you really need. Know when to hold on and when to let go. Love hard and often and without reservation. Seek knowledge. Open yourself to possibility. Keep your heart open, your head high and your spirit free. Embrace your darkness along with your light. Be wrong every once in a while, and don’t be afraid to admit it. Awaken to the brilliance in ordinary moments. Tell the truth about yourself no matter what the cost. Own your reality without apology. See goodness in the world. Be bold. Be fierce. Be grateful. Be wild, crazy, and gloriously free. Be you. Go now, and live.”

~Jeanette Leblanc

 

 

 

 

-xoxo.

Tricks and Treats and Thrifting, oh my!

After a VERY long hiatus I have decided that there is no better reason for my triumphant return other than the best holiday known to man......Halloween!!! A day (or week if you are anything like me) when you are free to dress as silly and creative as you like all while getting to eat candy, drink cider, and enjoy the company of others.(Who, with any luck, are dressed just as silly as you)

Of course, my favorite part of this crazy holiday are the endless costume possibilities. In years past I have tried to let my Halloween costume find me rather than decide what I would be and force it to work. Usually I just take a trip to the thrift store and let inspiration strike.

Two years ago I went as a sailor. This thrift store find was previously a child's sailor costume from the 70's that vaguely resembled a very sad attempt at an airline stewardess outfit adorned with decorative anchors. Unfortunately, I didn't document the before but I do have some pictures of the after once I took to it with a pair of scissors and my sewing machine:

 

  It was a great last minute costume and it only cost $3.99 to boot!

Last year I had my heart set on being an astronaut, but the costume gods had a different plan. So when it became clear that the odds of finding an easy (and safe) way of creating a space helmet were slim to nil I decided to create a cheap, creative, and still somewhat space themed costume:

This FREE costume was a lot of fun...although mobility was limited to say the least haha. I spray painted 3 boxes of varying sizes and used red felt to make the heart and buttons and an old CD as my dial on the bottom. So instead of just a plain, average, everyday robot I became a Love Machine ;)

This year I found myself torn between two ideas and decided to do both! The first is an idea that came from one of my very good friends and I wish I could take credit for it, but I did design it even though the idea wasn't exactly mine:

 

Now that I am a spunky little redhead (haha) a whole new world of characters has been opened. And so here I am as the petite french orphan everyone loves, Madeline :) (Seen above is Madeline learning the ways of the world from Ke$ha)

My second costume this Halloween season was a gift from my lovely mother. She found this vintage beauty at a Salvation Army for only $2.00!!

 

I made the cape, crown, and the wrist bands (obviously to deflect any stray bullets that I come in contact with throughout the night). It was such a fun costume. And I'd like to think that Wonder Woman and I are strong women with quite a bit in common ;)

Sadly, the Halloween season has come to an end :( but I have already given a little thought as to what next year might bring...Who knows? Maybe I'll try a female version of James Dean?

We'll see what the thrift store has in store (no pun intended haha) for next year!!

xoxo.