i wake up to...

i love etsy. there are so many adorable shops and all kinds of wonderful designers out there and they are just so sweet to share their talent with the world. i stumbled on this shop this morning. they have things like:

hello lovely...

and then this...

every morning i wake up with songs in my head. sometimes they can be as lame as "mary had a little lamb", or they can be as wonderful as adele songs, like this gem "rolling in the deep". have a great wednesday everyone!

listen. love.

Wonderful Wednesday

I love everything about college. I do, really. Even though I complain about tests or paper or any other kind of work I have to put into passing a class, I still love everything about it. It's prevented me from entering the big, bad world  yet and I'm okay with that for right now. I'm mainly okay with this because it leaves me time to do things I enjoy doing, like reading, drawing, or SHOPPING. This post is not about clothes, even though there are about 500 things I want for the Spring months; cardigans take up 59% of my desired wardrobe. (rabbit trail) I saw this guy today on campus, actually had the pleasure of passing him, and he had on the most wonderful outfit ever; grey wash straight jeans, dark corduroy TOMS, a vintage wash graphic tee, and a glorious dark mustard and brown old man cardi with over sized brown woven buttons and a collar. I know my jaw dropped, and I don't even care. I relished in his "pshh, I don't care what I look like, I just threw this on" attitude, and his amazing ability to dress*.

Anyway, this wasn't about clothes. Or was it... remember how I love college and clothes? Sometimes great things come out of both of these entities being put together. Sometimes, things get ugly. I know I'm not in impeccable shape--working on that-- however, I also have the foresight to know when an outfit can turn into something dreadful. Leggings. I adore them. I'm a cold natured person, except when I sleep... [Dear Future Husband, if your body touches mine and I'm sleeping, that's not drool, it's sweat. Also, If I snuggle with you and I'm playing big spoon and then I move away from you, your shoulder does not have drool on it,  it's sweat. Never drool, always sweat. Weird, I know. I apologize in advance.]... so I wear leggings under jeans on a regular basis. I even wear leggings under jeggings. It's an issue. Anyway, I know how to wear leggings if I don't have them under jeans. Long shirts girls, long ones. Ones that cover your hiney, and ones that don't hug to your body, kind of defeats the purpose. Too often I see girls breaking this rule. Short shirts... ugh, WHY?! Wait, short shirts and you're 5'3 190 lbs? Oh. Em. Gee.  Sweetie... just no. Never shall you ever. I saw a girl the other day, as I was walking out to the Liberal Arts parking lot and was trapped behind this girl who moved like molasses. Look honey, just because a hot dog is fat crap squeezed into a case and people eat it does not mean people will like it if you try the same thing with your legs. I kept wondering if the seams were going to bust. Rude? Maybe. I think I might have been more rude not to point out that she looked like a sausage link. Guh-ag.

Alright, who's next? Mom Jeans. They need to die. Those along with Dad Jeans. One of my professors, my favorite by far this semester, rocks those like a hurricane (<--- see what I did there). No lie. He is the exception. He's got this serious built upper body, like he used to pick people up just to carry them around and show off how strong he was. He's not disgustingly built, I've never understood the appeal, but he's so broad and "Rrrrghh"-ish. Back to the pants, he wears them to every class. The thing I don't get is that he's an attorney and I thought, by default, those men typically ran to nicer, in style clothing. I was sorely mistaken. I can't hate on him though, he's much too endearing. But those "pants". I can't take people seriously in them. Hello, 1995? You have a time traveler lost in the 21 Century. You can take his pants back? I need to redress him. Oh boy, he's lucky I like him.

So clothes... sorry about that. LOOK! Something pretty :)

i need the freaking heck out of this.

* Story may have been slightly exaggerated... Did I mention he had dark hair and and scruffy face? Hollaaa!
Journal: beautiful

Christmas hodge podge

Remember, as a child, when you would get out of school and come home for Christmas break and have ALLLL the time in the world to reek havoc and then make your mom say things that you only thought people that were destined for doom would say? Yeah, I long for those days.

So far this break has consisted of late nights, because I have to get in time with my friends that have come from college, and early mornings, because I have to earn the money to pay for those late nights. Don't get me wrong, I love being a college student/young adult and playing around with the fam and with my friends, but I do wish I could actually have a "break". So far I have slept in twice, I use the term "sleep-in" loosely. Sleeping-in has been me jumping out of bed to rush around at 9. Better than 6 or 7 like it has been though. (Oh those rabbit trails... get me every time) Anyway, I thought this was supposed to be the MOST wonderful time of the year? So far, all I've seen as an adult, or really since I've been shopping for my huge family on my own, it's super stressful, and then when Christmas day comes, there's like 2 minutes, if you're lucky, of, "OMIGOSHILOVEIT!", and then your present is old news and they move on to the next one. You know what? I'm happy with 2 minutes. I just like to make people smile and go, "You put time into this present for me? (insert teary-eyed smile here) Oh honey, thank you so much!". Okay, so maybe that's only what my mom does, but still 2 minutes? I'm welcoming you with open arms this year! I'ma love all of your 120 seconds and then relish in them for a solid 5. Merry Christmas.

So speaking of  "(teary-eyes) time?!", this year I made pillows for my friends. I love pillows, esp small ones that I can snuggle up with. I don't really sleep on a pillow in my bed, I kind of shove it aside when I'm sleeping, but that's due to the fact that my bed is AWESOME. Regardless, I also love Scrabble, so I got my arts and crafts on and made these:

BAM. Scrabble pillows!

Yeah. I love them. That isn't the finished product, but you get the idea. Some of my friends have double names--ugh, you people-- and so I've made them front and back with one letter on each side. That's right I'm dedicated. And since I'm way behind on posting, I seriously had more time when I was studying for finals than I do now, ruh-dic-a-lus, that was my bit for Wonderful Wednesday and then some musings. I hope you all have a very merry Christmas! I'll share with you what I got and how much I love my family and spending time with those crazies when tomorrow is all said and done.

Wonderful Wednesday

This is one thing that is making my day wonderful; a day with Mr. George. His mom is having me take pictures of him today for his 6 mo, even though he is now 7 mo and 4 days, who's counting though! Anyway, this little nugget of happiness is crawling, shaking his head, waving, and laughing up a storm. He makes me want to have children of my own some day. I love this big bundle of happiness. 

I got to spend some time with Hobson today. That was, as always, a wonderful treat! Sweet Hobson is moving away from me (booooo), so we had our little goodbyes. He is a lover of comedy and wonderful music. We got to relive TV show moments, share about our future plans, and muse over lyrics that make your heart either stop beating because they're beautiful or because they're so disgustingly terrible that the only thing left to do is die. Hobson, you are wonderful and precious. I'm really going to miss you.

Wonderful Wednesday

It's that time of week again; It's a WONDERFUL Wednesday!

This Wednesday I bring you: charcoal.

I used to charcoal all the time, and for some reason that I can't recall, I stopped. However, I've been inspired to start back again! (hooray!!) I'll show you my finished product, and probably photograph along the way to show you progress. Since I'm posting this, I have to complete this task. Or I could delete this whole blog, go into hiding, and then never finish my project... but that's much too much work. So I'LL DO IT! In the mean time, here are some drawings that I found that I hope you'll appreciate as much as I do.

preciousness

This reminds me of my sister who, before she got sick, was the most talented ballerina. And when I was subjected to this art, which is something I still kind of hate, I always dreamed this is the way we'd look if we made to the realm of big tutus.
etsy: MyraPaintBallet  shop

"the halls of my mind"

I wish I was that good with the shading... maybe I'll get there if I start working hard enough. Anyway, the title of this is the caption above, and the artist said it's a self portrait of what she feels like are the shadows of her mind, where everything is stored, lost, and forgotten. For all my twitter friends, #win (side note: out of these 3 pictures, this is the only one that is completely charcoal)
etsy: AmiCreatz shop

L.O.V.E.

1) I WISH I could do watercolors well.
2) Does that dress come in my size?
I love this so much, but I think it speaks for itself.
etsy: laurenspaintpalette shop

Wonderful Wednesday

"A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting."

Henry David Thoreau

Wonderful Wednesday

i wish i was four

If I ever get the pleasure of having a child, I hope I have one that is a super girlie girl. I want to dress her up in adorable, frilly things. My mom never got this opportunity with me because I was always in the mud, playing with sticks, and boys. I hit girlie land too late for mom to thoroughly enjoy it (sorry mom). I'm going to start putting tulle and glitter in her face so I don't miss my opportunity. I mean look at that bow and tutu! Oh, I hope, I hope!

i'm happy to settle for this

If my daughter has that precious bow, I want one for myself. We are going to have the best decorated hair in the state (whatever state that is).

Wonderful Wednesday

i decided that tomorrow i will watch the sun rise

This painting was featured, and I forgot to see who it was by... my bad, at the denied and underexposed art show. My favorite part of the painting, besides how crazy obscure the whole matting is, is the quote above the cup of, what I've decided, rose tea.

"I decided that tomorrow I will watch the sun rise. I will set my clock for 4:21 am because 2+1=3 and 4x3=12 and twelve divided by either number equals the other... it's always good to wake up feeling balanced. "

I love it. I know planning my morning, especially at 4:21 am, around math will NEVER happen, but it's still cute to think about.

My friend was featured there too. One Joshua Chino Pittman created the coolest 3D heart and arrow, like a modern day Cupid. He's a silly guy that has a love for pasta and all things carb-y. And clearly, he's talented.

I hope the heart isn't a form of symbolism for him

Wonderful Wednesday

I saw this and felt like this summed up my life right now. It also reminds me of 3 precious friends. My small group girls, Jenna and Christine, who light up my life with their wonderful humor and are always a beaming light of beauty. Then the girl that gives me the most wonderful encouragement and was a huge influence in leading me to the Lord, Mel Grace. I love these girls more than words can really express. They bring me laughter, happiness, and a desire to seek the Lord in all aspects of my life. I couldn't ask for more. Free Willy and JoJo forever!