~Coffee Dreams~

~Sundayness~

2010-10-17T14:34:00.000-07:00

{Today I...}
-started my day with a strong cup of Starbucks coffee, as per usual. :-P
(it's the only way to go! and, the only way i get moving! hehe)

-am working on various assignments for school, taking breaks to keep my sanity in between.

-can't wait for "Dexter" this evening. It's the #1 thing I look forward to on Sunday.

{thoughts}
..i really REALLY need to get more accomplished with school work. What a busy semester!

..i can't wait for my trip to Portugal next month! Woohoo! It's the first time ever leaving the country!
{my passport arrived !!!=)}

..i'm ready for Fall weather so I can wear cozy sweaters and drink hot cocoa.

..i miss my grandma every single day..='(
..i also miss my blog buddy, Deb.

..i will become a redhead for the very first time, very very soon. Eek! :)~

{here is the shade of red i would like to try. what do you think?}

{things i want to purchase this week}
:a book about Portugal:
::lingerie::
:::Play-Doh (for class):::
::::new nail polish::::

friday feelings.

2010-10-15T16:27:00.000-07:00

I've definitely been gone for too long! =)

Here is what I'm up to at the moment:

listening: Curve
eating: red grapes
drinking: H2O
wearing: blue jeans and a white spaghetti tank top with salmon v neck shirt over it
feeling: a tad of a headache and need to eat dinner but mostly pleasant and calm
weather: a little breezy at sunset
wanting: sushi :-P
needing: more hours in the day
thinking: about my upcoming trip to Portugal
enjoying: the fact that its Friday and I can sleep in tomorrow! Yippee!
wondering: if I will get all my school work done over the weekend so I can have time to relax and get to feeling better. I'm trying to get over an ear infection this week.

~xoxo

Getting back..

2010-07-26T20:40:00.001-07:00

I'm getting back in the swing of things, slowly but surely.

The last couple of weeks have been really difficult for me with my grandma passing away. Luckily I have had shoulders to cry on and comfort from friends and family members all around. I feel so grateful.

So, on a more positive note, I wanted to share my lined journal that I turned into a sketchbook. This is a project I began in early May of this year. =)
The last page of the tomato pin cushion is for my grandma.

(more pages to share on the next post)

♥♥♥♥
~All my love~
MK

I can't help..

2010-06-25T21:19:00.000-07:00

I can't help what's going on in my life right now no matter how much I want to..
But, I need to find some positive energy to get me through my days and keep me strong.
I know I can't keep feeling sad all the time.
Dear inspiration and happiness, please find me.

ox.
Melissa~

difficult.

2010-06-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

The last few days have been very difficult for me and my family as we received some distressing news regarding my dear grandmother. She has cancer. The doctors are still running tests and we don't know too much information at this time. I've been at the hospital for days now by her side. It's really hard not to cry while I'm there.

My heart is filled with sadness right now.
It's been so hard to concentrate, and I can't even wrap my head around my summer school classes.. :-(
I'm not sure how long I will be away. I just need to take some time and be with my family.
I hope to be back soon with some positivity.
Please keep my grandma in your thoughts.
Thank you..xoxo.

Happy Friday!

2010-06-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

Hello! Quick post today!

I've been crazily busy this week with my summer courses that I hardly have the time for blogging. :/ Lame, I know..
Hope to catch up this weekend with some fun posts in between studying.

Here's a couple shots from my sister's graduation this past Wednesday evening.
I'm so proud of her! =)♡
Tonight I'm going to see the 80's band, Great White perform here in SA. I'm a little over the top excited today. :-P
~xoxo~

-date afternoon Sunday-

2010-06-06T20:53:00.001-07:00

We had a lovely movie date this afternoon and saw "Get Him To the Greek". It was hilarious! ;) What a great way to spend a scorching hot Sunday--indoors! Ha.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My plans for this week:

❍ Summer school starts tomorrow (oh joy! lol)
❍ My sister, Lizzie graduates high school on Wednesday night
❍ Babysitting my cousins (the triplets)
❍ Looking forward to seeing 2 concerts-- Great White & Iron Maiden!!! :)
(Friday night & Saturday night)
❍ Family reunion in Yorktown, TX on Saturday
❍ Art journal
❍ Take more summer photographs
;)

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!
~xoxo~

my Tell Your Story pages♥~ part 1

2010-06-05T21:47:00.000-07:00

Part 1.

Stay tuned for part 2!
Happy Saturday! =)

♡

~a fun-filled Friday~

2010-06-04T23:15:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick behind the scenes shot from this afternoon's shoot.
My friend, Jess asked me to model for her upcoming shop online. Gosh, I have to admit, it felt so great being in front of the camera again. It's been too long...
Fun, fun! ;)~

sun spots are magical☀

2010-06-02T13:30:00.001-07:00

Here are some self-portraits I took just a few days ago. I love the way the sun spots look.

Also, I don't mind if these shots are blurry. I often do weird things when I shoot sp's. :) I will probably print these out and use them for art journaling.

POSTS TO COME...
~My summer goals
~Tell Your Story class pages (so far)
~The collage book I've been working on
~Polaroids
~Summer inspirations
♡♡♡

this is Summer.

2010-06-01T21:57:00.000-07:00

..and this is me.

=)

I know I've said this before but this time I'm going to follow through.
I need to blog MORE!
I'm going to try for every day in the summer. Ready, set, now!

oxox.

P.S. Feel free to leave me comments and push me along/motivate me to post! I need the encouragement from time to time. lol

free.

2010-05-23T20:01:00.000-07:00

I started a new art journal book today.
This book is my own personal prompts/thoughts/ideas, if you will. It's not from any online class.
I plan on keeping this book separate from my others because it's meant for the times that I'm sad, angry, and/or frustrated. Lately I've been feeling certain strong emotions that need to be channeled somewhere. I figured what better place than through art.

Here's my first page . I'm not sure if I will continue to share them as time goes on or just keep them private. All I know is that I need to release these built up emotions somehow.

I always welcome any comments or suggestions you may have.
Thanks for reading.
❉

Lewis' Graduation Night =)

2010-05-23T15:31:00.001-07:00

So proud of Lewis graduating on Friday night! =)
❤

{Lewis and his younger brother, Bryan}
I'm still editing my photos and gathering some from various family members.

Just wanted to do a quick post and share these two moments.
=)

Renegade Craft Fair~ Austin

2010-05-16T00:58:00.000-07:00

I was so BEYOND excited that I got to meet this beautiful girl today.. ;)

Elsie and Jeremy are seriously one of the cutest couples I've ever met in my life. They are also probably the friendliest. ;) I really hope I get the chance to stop by again tomorrow.

As for The Renegade Craft Fair, it was very cool. I walked around and looked at several vendors and even purchased some cute things (an art print, pretty japanese masking tapes, postcards, an owl compact mirror, magnet, stickers, and some buttons). I seriously can't wait to go every year to this every year now.

Such a wonderful day! =)

✿

Who you gonna call?

2010-05-13T15:05:00.000-07:00

Ghostbusters!!!! ;)~

I was SO excited getting to meet Dan Aykroyd at the Twin Liquors event here in Austin on Monday. He was here promoting his Crystal Head vodka and meeting fans. There were fans that came dressed up as Ghostbusters..pretty funny! Only in Austin..Ha!
Anyway, Dan was super nice and very patient with everyone. He was only suppose to be there from 4-6 pm but ended up staying closer to 8 pm. That's how cool he is. I later discovered that he signed approximately 1,400 bottles that evening. Amazing!
;)

smoothies + sunflowers

2010-05-11T22:15:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos from my day. =)

The wildflowers are so gorgeous right now! I need to get out there and take some more. That's my goal for the next week. ;)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh yeah, and I'm super pumped about this....

Can't wait to finally meet Elsie from RVA! ;)
♡

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T18:51:00.001-07:00

~Mother's Day~

I'm going to be honest, I'm upset today so please bear with me. Hopefully my words/sentences will make sense. I had imagined this day to go a little differently, I suppose..

Last night I had stayed up until almost 4:30 a.m. working on cards for both my mom and Lewis's mom. Well, the card for Lewis's mom was a big hit. She loved it. Then again, she always appreciates anything I make her. :) That made me feel good. We also got her pink roses, which were just gorgeous and a Dora the Explorer balloon (I thought that was funny since her name is Doricela, and she goes by "Dora").
Anyway, my frustration lies with my mom, yet again. I text her twice earlier in the day to tell her Happy Mother's Day and to find out what she was doing so that I could see her and give her the gifts I had gotten her. Well, time went on and I didn't hear from her for several hours. Finally I get a text that said she would call me when she was home. Several more hours went by and I didn't hear anything. I sent her two more texts that let her know I was leaving for Austin tonight, trying to find out when she would be home so I could wait. Well, nothing. I ended up leaving her roses and gift in a box on her doorstep. :-/
I just feel let down...
I wish she would think of me as a priority.
I'm going to drink some much-needed wine this evening and art journal. It always helps to channel these emotions somewhere so they don't build up.
Tomorrow will be a better day.

Oh, Coffee!

2010-05-05T17:41:00.000-07:00

Oh dear coffee, where would I be without you in my life?

=)I'm in the middle of finals this week and I'm soooo ready for it to be over. Two down and two left to go!Let's just say that a lot of coffee has been had!

Now for some coffee-lovin' inspiration..*source
*source
*source

*source *source
*source
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Uncle Patrick @ I at The Pearl Cup in Dallas
❥

❤Race for the Cure 5.01.10❤

2010-05-02T22:22:00.000-07:00

Saturday was such a wonderful day full of support and fun. =)

These are just a few photos of my sisters and I from Saturday's Race for the Cure 5K Walk. We took 44 photos total..a little too many to post here tonight. :)
Anyway, I'm so appreciative to all my friends and family for their tremendous support in either joining our team, donating, or just sending me numerous messages of encouragement. I'll never forget it.
❤❤❤

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

2010-04-26T13:39:00.001-07:00

Hi Blogger friends! =)

I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm participating in the Race for the Cure 5K Walk this year with my two sisters. We will be walking in memory of our Aunt Lori's mother, Mary Noack.

There are 5 Days left until the walk, which is being held in San Antonio on Saturday, May 1st.

If you would like to help out and donate to my team, here is a link to my page:

Melissa's Race for the Cure page

Any amount you could donate would be greatly appreciated, as this is such a wonderful cause.

Thank you so much for your support! This means so much to me and my sisters.
❤❤❤❤❤

~Tell Your Story Class~ {page 1}

2010-04-19T01:56:00.000-07:00

So, I decided to take Elsie & Rachel's online art journal class called "Tell Your Story". I'm so excited to finally start creating again! And, I love art journaling. =)

Tonight I had some time to let myself create. It felt incredible!

Here's my first page.
❥

SXSW {in pictures}

2010-04-18T22:07:00.001-07:00

At long last..some memorable photos (not all) from my SXSW week in Austin. Good times.. :)

The last photo marks my wonderful messy hair after long nights of partying. :)~

Happy Easter~

2010-04-05T00:50:00.001-07:00

~Happy Easter~

OK, I really, really need to set aside some time to blog. Seriously. Even if it's two sentences and a pretty little picture. There just HAS to be time in my day, right? Ha.

I miss this place..

I miss my creative outlet for thoughts/stresses/concerns/dreams/inspiration...

I hope to return soon.
.❥.

~SXSW 2010~

2010-03-15T22:47:00.001-07:00

(official SXSW tote bag, courtesy of my Uncle Patrick)

I'm so excited to be attending SXSW this year, as it will be my very first time. :) Tomorrow Lewis & I will head down to the Austin Convention Center bright and early to pick up our wristbands. I have been planning out our music schedule on who to see for about a month now and it has almost driven me insane! You better believe I have my cameras charged and ready to go! I hope I can take it all in--the free swag, free food, free alcohol, free parties (I've rsvp'd for a few), and of course the concerts. I bet we will be exhausted by the end of this week, but hopefully in a good way. This is also our Spring Break, so what a treat. ;)
Stay tuned for photos to come!

~25 Secrets~

2010-03-09T21:23:00.000-08:00

I don't want an iPhone because EVERYONE has one. It's too mainstream now.

I'm pretty decent at Scrabble, I'm not gonna lie.

Since the food I eat always looks so cool, I have to photograph it. Every time.

Sometimes I wish I were ambidextrous.

Lewis is about ready to take my iTouch away from me because he thinks I spend way too much time on it. I like the games. :-P

I really really wish I had more time to devote to photography.

Stickers are the best, especially the scratch-n-sniff ones. I want to have a collection of 28,000 one day.

Remembering birthdays is one of my specialties.

I obsessively write/color/draw in my planner. Also, it can never be just plain black or blue ink. I insist on using a variety of colors to make it look more festive.

I love grading papers.

Checking Facebook several times a day is a bad habit I wish I could break.

I'm excited to have children one day.

I worry about turning 30 and feeling super old.

I can't wait to move out of Texas.

My road rage is getting a little better..

I love meatloaf. Big time.

I can see myself as a principal one day. Before I couldn't.

I love my hand writing.

I hate getting use to my Nikon and then having to shoot with my Sony point and shoot (aka POS).

My parents and I's relationship has improved.

My sisters mean the world to me.

Spending money is a problem for me.

I REALLY need to change that.

This semester I've gotten the least amount of sleep in my life.

I would really like to change that.

(Inspired by Elise)

I've been away..

2010-02-21T22:16:00.000-08:00

..but I had a little time to play last week. :)~

Photos by: Matthew Garth
MUA: Jennie LeDeaux
----------------------------------------------------------
Ahh..how I miss the modeling world. Sometimes I wish I could return fully to it but school takes priority right now. I love the creative release it provides and it felt wonderful to feel it again this past week. ❤

Happy Valentine's Day! :)

2010-02-14T17:00:00.001-08:00

Mmm....sugar cookies.

May you all have a delightful day!
❤❤❤

The door bell just rang. Lewis had some surprise chocolate chip cookies delivered. ;) It came with a little milk and red rose. Awww..... I love him!
~❤~

Hello February!

2010-02-03T20:59:00.000-08:00

I'm sooo in the mood for Valentine's right now.

Just wanted to take a moment and share some stuff that has caught my eye online lately. :) I've been super swamped with school and work this past week. I think I might go mental if I don't take some time out for myself. ~sigh~

♥♥♥♥
❤
❤❤
❤
;)

~Inspire Me Sunday~

2010-01-24T13:16:00.000-08:00

Just a little inspiration for the week ahead...

❤[source][Lady Gaga's January shoot with Elle magazine]
[source][source]
..................................
Goodness, I need to photograph more..
~Happy Sunday~
=)

Catching up!

2010-01-23T18:09:00.000-08:00

Whew. It's been awhile!

I feel guilty for not getting back on here sooner to blog about my 2010 goals. With my Spring semester starting up I've been running around non-stop with school work. Fun, fun.

Here's some randomness... :)

▲ I'm a little into Lady Gaga right now...
I love this video. She's so creative with her outfits.

▼ I'm really looking forward to Goldfrapp's new album, "Head First".
It's due out on 03.23.10!
Isn't this cover gorgeous? It's my new wallpaper for now. =)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RIP Shadow

2010-01-16T15:19:00.000-08:00

(old photo)

Today is such a sad day..
My sister called me at 9 am this morning telling me that it's time for Shadow to be put to sleep. :( He's been sick for awhile now and his kidneys are failing. We don't want to see him suffer any longer. He's lived a great long life. It's just terribly sad having to let go. I feel like a mess today..completely emotional.

~Hunka Hunka Burning Love~

2010-01-08T20:33:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Elvis! :)

We went to Chuy's tonight for Elvis's Birthday Bash. My best friend Christian is an Elvis impersonator and performs every year on January 8th. He's really good and it's a lot of fun! ;)
Pictures coming soon...hopefully tomorrow if time permits.

Cheers!

2010-01-07T22:25:00.001-08:00

~Cheers!~

I'm so behind on a lot of things right now and I'm a tad stressed...

...working, cleaning, organizing, and still making my list of 2010 goals..

..and yes, my list should of been completed. =/

My Spring semester hasn't even begun and already it's becoming a nightmare.

I'm crossing my fingers that things go a little more smoothly in the next couple of days..

making my schedule with changes and what not has been a headache and a half! Wish me luck.

********************************************
Let's hope I'm back here soon.
I'm missing the blog world believe it or not.
.oxox.

~Happy Mail~

2010-01-04T23:07:00.001-08:00

Today I received this delightful little package of goodies from my Happy Mail buddy!
Thank you so so so much, Lizzie! I love it all! ♡
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Confession: I've been really bad about blogging lately.. =(
I'm still working on my 2010 goals but they should be complete by tomorrow.

Happy New Year! :)

2009-12-31T16:40:00.001-08:00

Wishing all my blog friends the happiest of New Year's! :)
Be safe tonight and don't drink and drive.

●A little bit of Christmas-ness~

2009-12-27T22:21:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful Christmas this year spending time with relatives and friends. :)

Here are some photos from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
♡♡♡♡♡♡
Merry Christmas!

~6 Cool Things Sunday!

2009-12-20T23:02:00.000-08:00

Because I am out of town right now I'm a little late getting this posted.

Now on to the rad stuff I have spotted this week..!

1. this photo..
credit
2. origami necklaces
found here.
3. puffy origami stars
(I have always wanted to learn how to make these)
credit
4. this gingerbread house on a mug
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5. squirrels who are photographers..
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6. peppermints.credit
credit
;)

new photos

2009-12-14T19:40:00.001-08:00

~Photos by Denny Mack~

~8 Nifty Things Sunday~

2009-12-13T13:32:00.001-08:00

1. A Journey to Zero

Check out the inspirational website!
2. V Magazine's Natalie Portman shoot
credit
3. Swiss Miss memo block
found here.
4. Deer Holiday Templates
(free to download and print)
found on Creature Comforts
5. this beautiful image...
Don't we all love getting little letters in the mail? I know I sure do! :)
6. Dreamer Mr. Frenchy heart necklace
source
7. this wonderful little blog full of loveliness!
8. Lego Walletsby Color by Numbers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've been working on my own holiday cards all weekend. They are a lot of fun!
;) Here's what my workspace looks like at the moment.
☟
If you still want to get on my Christmas card list, drop me a line with your info. ;)
~♡~

One Peace at a Time

2009-12-09T22:05:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of attending the screening for "One Peace at a Time" here in Austin this evening with the director and producer. :-) I had entered in a contest online this afternoon and won a ticket for myself. As soon as I heard about the contest I jumped right on and submitted my entry fast. Super fast, in fact! A few weeks back I had seen the trailer for this incredible movie and couldn't wait for the opportunity to watch it. What an incredible film! Please go see it if there's a screening in your city. You won't regret it, I promise!
=)

all you need is love.

2009-12-07T00:46:00.000-08:00

❤

{my submission for Starbucks Love Project}
visit here to draw one too!

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~8 Lovely Things Sunday!~

2009-12-06T12:02:00.000-08:00

1. pink marshmallows credit

2. Starbucks Love Project ♥

visit here for more info.
3. bread slippers
credit
4. apple ring by Marc Jacobs
(hands down he is my favorite designer!)

credit
5. Anna Inghardt photography
found here.
6. making paper snowflakes
credit
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7. I want to see this movie so bad...
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8. this beautiful, dreamy image...
~Happiest Sunday to all of you!
I'm in Austin all of this week preparing for finals. Going to try and get a lot done while finding some time to relax. :)

Let it snow~

2009-12-03T10:13:00.001-08:00

Yippee!!!
I just pulled out my baby book and found this photo. I'm so glad my Mom marked the year it snowed on the Polaroid. 1985! :) Fun times!
☃

walking in a winter wonderland {wednesday}

2009-12-01T22:06:00.001-08:00

Ahh....I wish it would snow again here in Texas. I wish. I wish. I wish.
I just heard that there is a chance on Friday. *crosses fingers*

Isn't this photo just breathtaking?
❋
That's it!
I'm going to spend the rest of the day dreaming of snow and winter wonderlands...
;)
❋❋❋
~Are you inspired yet? Do any of you live where it will definitely snow soon? My curious mind wants to know. =)

~WORLD AIDS DAY~

2009-12-01T20:50:00.000-08:00

Today, December 1st, is World AIDS Day.

As some of you may already know about me, I am very inspired and eager to help organizations such as Product (RED) to eliminate AIDS in Africa.

I am so pleased to see that Nike has just jumped on board with Product (RED) with their red laces.

If you have some time, please look into checking out this new documentary called The Lazarus Effect. It's due out this coming Spring. Click here to find out more.

~❤~

a gingerbread Monday

2009-11-30T09:13:00.000-08:00

❤

❤❤
❤
❤❤
❤
❤
One of my favorite things about Christmas is gingerbread. =) Gingerbread cookies..little gingerbread men things...gingerbread houses...gingerbread muffins...I love them all!
Merry Monday to all of you!

6 favorite things on Sunday! Christmas Edition

2009-11-29T19:39:00.000-08:00

1. round Coca-Cola 2009 holiday bottles

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2. Anthropologie Christmas decor
credit
credit credit
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...Ah...couldn't you just live in this store?
3. Swiss Miss hot chocolate
(i love LOTS of marshmallows!)
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4. gingerbread houses
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(I'm making one this year with my little sister)
5. Christmas wreaths
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6. Christmas toe socks
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~Happy Sunday!
Will return this week with more Christmas inspiration!
I'm so in the spirit! :)~
❤
***Also, I'm making my holiday cards to send out in a couple weeks. If you want me to send you one of mine and/or you want to swap cards, please email me at: melissak7481@yahoo.com. ;)

~Thanksgiving Day (in photos)~

2009-11-27T15:27:00.001-08:00

I wasn't able to photograph everyone but I did my best. :)
Lewis still owes me some photo time! I'm hoping to get him in front of the camera before the weekend is over.
~Happy Thanksgiving~

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T14:14:00.000-08:00

credit
~Happy Thanksgiving!~

Things I am thankful for this week..

2009-11-24T22:09:00.000-08:00

{Things I am thankful for this week:}

my wonderful boyfriend Lewis and all the things he does for me ♥
getting one of my tires repaired free of charge (I had two nails in one of them)
dill pickle flavored popcorn (my favorite!)
visiting my grandma Monday night and watching "Wheel of Fortune" with her =)
starting to read my new book, "A Hope in the Unseen"
an 82 on my IDS test! Woohoo!
started working on my Christmas cards (handmade)
thinking about all the wonderful friends I have
watching "The Golden Girls" reruns at night (it's my comfort show)
my good health
taking beautiful photographs

~thankful~

2009-11-24T21:11:00.000-08:00

I am so thankful for my blog friends.

You all have inspired me more than you know!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I love you.
♥
(If I have forgotten anyone, please send me a message so that I can apologize. I really hope I didn't.)

~8 Fabulous Things on Sunday!~

2009-11-22T12:13:00.000-08:00

1. green pencil scarf credit

2. Vintage Coke Pop Can Designs
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3. Jim Carrey's super cool website :)check it out here.
4. Love on toast
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5. i heart recycling magnets (by Green Post)
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6. salad floss
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7. zipper cup
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8. Printable Thanksgiving Fortune Cookies
from Kind Over Matter
(an adorable idea!!!)

:)~ Happy, happy Sunday to you all!
I'm heading out in a bit to get some fresh air and see some pretty things.

Ahh...I am so behind!

2009-11-20T10:03:00.000-08:00

Tis the season to fall behind, right?

Ha!
Well, count me in!
-------------------------------------------------------
I have two online classes I'm currently taking and haven't had the chance to even get started on any of the prompts. :/ I'm hoping I will have an ounce of free time over the weekend to do something!
-----------------------------------------
Some Randomness, Thoughts, & Things from this week.....
~I can't wait for Thanksgiving!!!
~I was really bad with zippers this week. I managed to bust both the zippers on my hoodie and gray slacks. Lame! ha.
~I am seriously obsessed with scratch n' sniff stickers right now.
~I attended a wine class on Wednesday evening and completely fell in love with a Riesling from Germany. As a regular cab drinker, I was pleasantly surprised I could find a white wine I enjoy. ;)
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I was very fortunate to attend a lecture at school yesterday and got to meet author, Ron Suskind. He was such a nice guy! And, he even signed my book. =)
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-XOXO-
Hope everyone is having a great week!
Happy Friday!!!

~6 wonderful things Sunday!

2009-11-15T11:31:00.000-08:00

Why can't I seem to get to my blog until Sundays?.....Ugh. :-/ My semester is really picking up as we are getting closer and closer to finals. I'm sooo ready for Thanksgiving so I can take a much-needed break!

Time for some wonderful things to distract you (and me both)..

1. this beautiful image..
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2. these cozy slippers..
FrenchPressKnits
3. this hilarious photo that is still cracking me up..
found on miss indies blog
:)
4. Kara's awesome photo
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5. fortune cookie purse
found here.
6. these MJ pins..
credit

~4 favorites to share Sunday~

2009-11-08T16:52:00.000-08:00

Hello there.
I'm feeling much better today and seem to be getting over this respiratory infection thanks to antibiotics. ;)
It's drizzling here right now so I'm inside watching a movie and studying this afternoon. I wanted to adventure out and take some photos outside but it doesn't look like the rain is going to let up. I hope everyone is having a great Sunday!~

1. the Google Sesame Street logos

(I think Cookie Monster is my favorite!)
2. an MJ inspired photo shoot..
{found on Bluebird Vintage blog}
(I gasped with excitement when I saw these images! The first photo is hands down my fave. I totally want to do a Michael Jackson shoot now!!! :-) )
3. Scuba Cat
found here.
4. novelty cookie greeting cards
..............................................................................................
Realizing I'm running a little low on inspiration today..
Going to find some..

welcome, november~

2009-11-04T20:05:00.000-08:00

Many apologies for being away. =/

I've been battling a terrible cold/virus (at least thats what I think it is) this week and last. I thought it would go away on its own but now its a lot worse. I'm going to see the doctor tomorrow and hopefully get it taken care of.

In the meantime, here's a couple cute and inspiring things I've had my eye on...
Elsie's DIY Thanksgiving Pumpkin Project
(found here)
* I love this idea and definitely want to try it out!!
knit night cupcakes

~I'm hoping to be back here at some point over the weekend with some November goals.
~Goodnight~
I'm hitting the hay early.
xoxo.

~this is halloween~

2009-11-01T12:09:00.001-08:00

a collection of our pumpkin carving adventure last night~
;)

~Happy Halloween!~

2009-10-31T14:29:00.001-07:00

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~We are carving a pumpkin tonight, passing out candy to the trick-or-treaters, eating candy corn, and watching scary movies all night. :)~
HOPE EVERYONE HAS A WONDERFUL HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!
Be safe!

This Is It

2009-10-30T21:57:00.000-07:00

Just got home from watching this movie..

credit
I could hardly wait to see it I was so excited! :) It's brilliant, amazing, wonderful, entertaining...I could go on and on right now. I seriously wanted to get out of my seat and start dancing around! It's very powerful and emotional at the same time. If you are a fan like me you will definitely appreciate the creativity and brilliance of this film. Go see it!
=)

Cool & Spooktacular Things Sunday~

2009-10-25T12:35:00.000-07:00

1. peak-a-boo-x-ray credit

2. my miniature pumpkins..
{photo by me}
i bought these yesterday in a pack of 8. they made my day! :)
3. Glow-in-the-Dark Funkins
by Martha, of course.
4. Brain cupcakes
yum...lol
recipe found here.
5. watching these fun movies..
rocky horror picture show
clue
beetlejuice

I don't think Lewis & I will be dressing up this year. :/ I love to dress up and usually have so much fun with it but we have been on a budget lately to catch up on unexpected expenses that occurred. If we did, this is what we would go as:

Sookie Stackhouse & Bill Compton
(oh how fun that would be!)
credit
~Happy early Halloween!
Have a fantastic Sunday!!

-positive reinforcement-

2009-10-20T22:33:00.001-07:00

credit

I just need some of this today and throughout the rest of the week.
..trying to keep my chin up and have some hope.
:/.

~6 ridiculously cool things Sunday!~

2009-10-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

I've been so preoccupied with school this week its been nuts! It's starting to look like I can't even get around to blogging until Sundays. :/ I just wish I had more time..

Maybe, just maybe this coming week I will...
Cross your fingers for me! =)

Anyway, on to the cool stuff:

1. Makeup inspiration..
credit
2. cats can be cold as ice...
so this is prrrfect!
(LOL)
ice trays
3. Vintage Naga Monsters
found here.
4. this neat shop...
(i am swooning over everything in it!)
Nice Package
5. this awesome image..
credit
6. Clear Art Planet
site

I was excited to be a guest blogger on Ashley's blog yesterday in celebration of her 100th post!
Check it out here! :)~
Have a great Sunday!!

~Fall in Love class..{pages part 1}~

2009-10-11T18:36:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy to be finally getting around to taking photos of my pages from Kara's class a couple weeks back. I still have a few more pages to work on and add. I will do those this week (I hope) and post them in a "part 2" blog. :)

Hope you enjoy!
{Materials used: various scrapbook pages, vintage papers, newspaper, black felt tip marker, stapler, doilies (white & gold), Anthropologie catalogs, Tombo Mono liquid glue, white drawing paper, vintage book page, confetti leaves, white piece of lace, Post-It flags, and a writing lines tablet page}

◆ my 5 favorite things to do in October!~

2009-10-11T13:16:00.000-07:00

1. watch "Hocus Pocus" with my sisters.

We always save this movie for the fall since its Halloween and all. Ahh...this is definitely a family favorite! We have certain lines we'll quote to each other and just laugh over and over. :)~ Good times, good times!
2. pumpkin carving
These were some photos from last year. My friend Jennie and her daughter Elysia and I all had a little pumpkin carving party at their house. Jennie did our makeup as cats. =)
3. taking every opportunity possible to photograph fall leaves..
4. dream about the red holiday cups from Starbucks and when they are going to come out
(I get excited for them every year!)

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5. looking forward to visiting my uncle in Dallas every October and going to Farmers Market
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's raining like crazy here all afternoon....☂
I'm not sure if I will head out for coffee or just stay in.
Have a great Sunday and stay dry if you're in a rainy city today like me! :)

{friday loves.}

2009-10-09T23:04:00.001-07:00

{things i'm really loving today & tonight...}

~the fact that i got eleven and a half hours of sleep last night! it was much needed after a week of getting 2-3 hours each night.
~the cooler weather up in Austin right now...ahh..i hope it stays like this all weekend.
~getting to wear layers and a long sleeve shirt (finally!)
~watching a late night showing of "Zombieland" with my sweetie.
(super fun movie! i highly recommend it.)
~snuggling under warm blankets
~eating warm chocolate chip cookies & ice cream :-P mmmm.....

I hope to be back blogging on a more regular basis. School this semester is driving me insane and it's taking up a lot of my time. :-/ Lame, lame, LAME.

Happy Friday to each and every one of you sweet blogger friends! :)

Top 4 fantastically wonderful things Sunday!~ + more..

2009-10-04T02:12:00.000-07:00

1. nostalgic Muppet Show stickers ;-)

If that's not enough here's the theme song to get stuck in your head! You're welcome.
:)~
2. these incredibly inspiring cut & paste art collages....
Cut & Paste site
3. hair posters by Fly, a gorgeous new blog I stumbled upon..
4. these photos are BEYOND amazing to me!!!......
*gasp*
Rita Saardi

:::Currently I'm obsessed with the following..:::
Natural Cheetos Puffs
10 calorie Vitamin Water the band Muse

Happy Sunday!

once upon a sweet autumn day~

2009-10-03T17:28:00.001-07:00

(our little trouble-maker Yuri looks out the window wishing she could go outside and play)

{photos by me}

I love all of the changing colors in Autumn.
All of the falling off and changing makes me yearn for a 'fresh start' myself.
Out with the old, bad, and negative...
In with the new, good, and positive!
Cheers for a beautiful Autumn and for turning over a new leaf.
;)

{old photos}

2009-10-01T12:05:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love old photos? I know I do! :)

My aunt had scanned these earlier this week for us so I thought I'd share. Some of them I had never seen before.

Here's me when I was little.
{great grandma, mom, & I}
{Granny, Papa, and I}
{my Papa ♥}
{Granny, Papa, my sister Kim, me, my cousin Billy and Santa}
{Brittany, Billy, Justin, me, Uncle Bubba, & Uncle Wally}

These photos make my day!
~♥~

~7 Splendid Things on Sunday~

2009-09-27T00:57:00.000-07:00

1) this delightful image..

by Rebecca Thuss

2) morning tea set rings
victoria mason

3) this pretty recycled paper garland..
by wrenhandmade

4) peanut butter & jelly pillows :-)
(so freaking cute!)
found here.

5) this lovely purple bag..found on luella.com

6) object photographs that are utterly amazing..by lushbella.com

7) these cute little origami tea bags..
(i want to know where i can buy some!)

Here's to having a great, productive weekend! I've been getting a lot of work accomplished, so I'm happy about that.
Now have a super Sunday!!!!

ok, today i feel like fall~

2009-09-25T13:26:00.001-07:00

*giggle*

Now that the rain is gone (for now at least) I'm feeling more in the fall spirit. :-)
Here's my current flickr fall favorites.

{my goals for today:}
-knock out a bunch of studying! i also have a test next week to start preparing for.
-catch up emails..i have been so busy i have neglected them
-coffee, coffee, and more coffee!
-grocery shopping
-work on my 'fall in love' class pages this evening
:0)

Happy Friday to you all! Hope it's an awesome day~

cold and wet. love and hate.

2009-09-23T21:27:00.001-07:00

{photo by me}

I am completely having a love/hate relationship with this season right now.
I love seeing the beautiful autumn leaves that have fallen onto the ground. Ahh..I just want to take a zillion pictures of them! :)
But..
I hate being out in the drizzle, cold, and nastiness. I feel like I'm going to get sick.
:-/

Now I love the cold..just not mixed with rain.
Just my thoughts.
~♥~

~6 awesome things Sunday~!

2009-09-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

Well hello there!

Wow, I've had such a productive weekend so far! I feel so accomplished with my school work. :)

I still have more to get done today but I'm hoping for some free time to enjoy myself later. In the meantime, here's some cool stuff I've spotted this week.

1. these marbled crayons
found here.

2. owl wallet from ModCloth
3. Toast
Love this site! I ordered a catalog the other day and can't wait to get it.

4. these beautiful layouts from lifeLOVEpaper
(-a new blog i've been inspired by)
I really love the sewing onto paper look.

5. vintage paper pillow
from jedgell
6. coffee to go brooch
from toastkawaii
{her blog is also very cool. check it out here.}

In other news..I'm still working on my book for Elise's Visual Adventures class and I really like how it's coming along. I haven't taken any photos of my work just yet but I will once I finish.

Also..excited to start Kara's 'Fall in Love' class tomorrow! I took her music + art composition class over the summer and it was just wonderful. I'm really looking forward to her inspirations again.
link
~Alright, I'm off to study, do some quick grocery shopping, find some coffee, and maybe buy a lottery ticket. =) Hope everyone has a delightful Sunday!
♥

~inspired wednesday bliss~

2009-09-16T18:05:00.000-07:00

I had a busy, busy but AWESOME day today! I even feel inspired. ;)

Here's some things that I think are just delicious as of late..

1. incredibly beautiful photos by Alana Davis
2. this sensational piece...
it combines my two favorite things: coffee (well, coffee beans) & an owl
3. wonderful work by Virginia Kraljevic
4. this image by abbytryagain :)
...so in love!!!
5. Cassia Beck's etsy shop of lovely prints

....Also I can't be more thrilled about this movie coming out on Friday that I've been waiting months for! It was one of my favorite books as a child. I need to rebuy it since I can't seem to find my old copy.
Lewis and I have a date night on Friday to see it. :) *very excited*
I can't wait for the weekend now!

~hopeful~

2009-09-15T21:38:00.000-07:00

I just adore this print. I saw it on Jars of Cute last week and had to remember to blog about it. The color combination is just beautiful.

I was thinking about this past summer earlier today and how I miss it a little. I had SO much free time.. Now that school has started and work I'm a super busy little bee! I mean, my days are crazy! I do enjoy being busy and productive, don't get me wrong, but it's become exhausting as of late. I may just be overloaded right now. *sigh*
..Hopeful for some 'Melissa' time soon..
=)

Alright, I'm back.. :)

2009-09-13T13:45:00.000-07:00

I can't stay away. :)

I was thinking about it and realized this blog was my therapy, so I need to be here.
Things are looking UP for me and each day seems to be getting better and better. I just need to have some patience. That being said, here's some photos I took here in Austin yesterday. I've been up here since Thursday night. Ah, I'm loving it..

my rainy day Saturday..
{one of our favorite little bakeries called Quack's}
{yummy food and french press coffee..:-P}
{i took this photo for my friend Deb who LOVES turtles..she loved the photo so much that she posted it on her blog. :)~}

Right now I'm sitting at a newly visited coffee shop that I will definitely be coming back to. It's rad! It's called Kick Butt Coffee. A martial artist owns the place and all of the decor inside is of knives, chinese throwing stars, and Chuck Norris. They even have free wi-fi which totally makes my day. :)
It's a good day, and it's a little sunny outside too. Just a little..
~☀~

better*

2009-09-11T15:19:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to say hello.
I've been away from my blog this week for personal reasons. I'm trying to regroup for now and take some time out for myself. I do miss posting but I know that I need this time.

Hope to return soon.
Thank you all for your wonderful comments on my previous post. I always enjoy reading them.

credit

"Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it." --Bill Cosby

I feel like Bill Cosby has always been in my life, even though I do not personally know him. I watched "The Cosby Show" religiously growing up and I continue to watch reruns today (I have almost all the seasons on dvd). I even saw him live in Austin several months ago. He's just all around wonderful and I've always looked up to him. I love this quote and it's really speaking to me right now.
~xoxo~

a few good things..

2009-09-07T14:24:00.000-07:00

..just a few things catching my attention right now ;)

1. this journal set by zoetropa
2. this panda calendar
adorable!
3. this beautiful photo by wilson
4. this kusudama flowers tutorial
Thanks for sharing this with me, Deb!

◆Today I'm editing photos (still), having banana nut muffins w/coffee, catching up on emails, studying, and listening to my 80's hair band music. It's a pretty good day.

[Looking forward to..]
~ a shorter week now that we had a holiday. ;)
~appointments (2 this week)
~starting back as a tutor for the middle school I work at
(it's my part-time job)
~heading to Austin next weekend..Whoohoo!!!!

Happy Labor Day!
Hope everyone got enough rest & relaxation.
I was thinking I may just change my Sunday inspiring things to Monday from now on.

~celebrate~

2009-09-06T18:29:00.000-07:00

Saturday was my cousin John's 6th birthday. He had an adorable little party that was SpongeBob themed. I was so glad I brought my Nikon this time. =)

And here's a fun collage I made for him..

~Pardon my absence, I've been editing photos like crazy and catching up on school work. It's turned out to be a busier weekend than I thought. Hope I can return later tonight with some inspiring little finds. *cross fingers*

.visualize.

2009-09-04T18:11:00.000-07:00

I spent the day embracing the photographic mood I was in. ;)

Even Lewis was willing to be a part of it. That's very rare.
I love him..
Here are some photos I took from today.
~What a lovely day. Tonight I hope to enjoy some wine, maybe a movie, and do some crafts.
I hope everyone had a happy Friday!
*hugs*

melissa, a sleeping tablet AND a girl who can't sleep..

2009-09-02T22:13:00.000-07:00

Confession: I haven't had a decent nights sleep in weeks.

I found an ad for these sleep-inducing tablets in a new magazine this month and now I really want to try them..
(gotta love the name :-))
credit
I thought at first it was just me adjusting to my school schedule again but now I'm beginning to think I have a problem. And, I've tried everything over the counter. Melatonin use to work for me and now when I take it, it seems to wear off too quick and then I'm wide awake. Not fun.
Has anyone heard anything about this herbal tablet?
I think I'll head to Sun Harvest tomorrow to see if they carry it. They should.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Since I'm obviously not sleeping..here's what's keeping me up..

the thought of delicious candy corn..mmm..*
this beautiful photo..
*
this lovely decor..
*
~I sure enjoyed my pumpkin spice latte earlier today. :) Sensational!
Hope everyone had a great day!
~oxoxo.

welcome to september~

2009-09-01T19:16:00.000-07:00

Today was MUCH better than yesterday. :~)

I came home to a package in the mail. I won this book a couple weeks ago and was excited to see it here.
Thanks, Kimberly! You're a doll!
{I read Piper Reed "Navy Brat" in my Childrens Lit class last semester and thought it was super cute. Now I'm anxious to read this one!}

The new Sept Anthro catalog also arrived. Ahh..I'm in love. I'm always in love with that store. What a distraction for the night when I should be doing school work. ;)

Sorry this post is so short. Must start my reading before I'm up all night.

..maybe I'll get me a pumpkin spice latte tomorrow a.m.
=)~ yum.

~that kind of day..

2009-08-31T20:40:00.000-07:00

Ahh...Mondays..
It was a super long day for me...and not nearly enough coffee! hehe.

I went to my evening class and sat there with about 8 other girls for about half an hour waiting patiently for the professor to show. {Note: this was the first day of this course since school started on a Wednesday this year} No email or notification on the door was left about the class being canceled or moved to a different room. We were all getting rather annoyed and finally just left. I connected with two girls and exchanged phone numbers & emails. Luckily one of the girls called me back tonight with all of the details and the changes. She had found out by going to the department office. How crazy! Why weren't we notified??? ugh.

So instead of having my class tonight until 8:15, I went to the mall (very near to campus) to look around a bit. ;) It felt like that kind of day..the kind where I needed to buy undies and sushi. I know that sounds odd, especially the combination. I've mentioned a long time ago in this blog that when I have a bad day I buy undies. Well, today was sort of one of those. I'll spare you the entire day story. I'm feeling better now and my sushi really hit the spot! I've been craving it madly. ♡

A few photos from my evening:
{sorry they are crappy cell pics..)
~hopeful for a better day manana!

~~

2009-08-30T15:46:00.001-07:00

*
~This photo pretty much depicts how I feel today. Sad.
(photo isn't me)
I always get this way at the beginning of the semester. Sometimes it's worse than other times.
It's mainly because Lewis leaves for the week and we won't see each other til the weekend. I know that sounds lame because it's not even that long but I still miss him like crazy. :( In the summer I was use to seeing him every single day. Once school starts again we carry on with our "school routines" and it sucks. I live in San Antonio and attend school while he lives in Austin and attends school. I guess each semester I always think it will get easier but it doesn't. I feel like an emotional wreck today. I use to be a strong person and now I feel like I'm getting weaker and weaker. I don't know why...
I just want to get this out for whatever it's worth. Maybe it's made me feel a little bit better.
I need to watch "You've Got Mail" all night (about 4 times or so) because it's my comfort movie.

I hope tomorrow is a better day.
I wish I could muster up a happy "7, 8, 9, or 10 things that inspire me Sunday"..

it's friday!!!

2009-08-28T16:23:00.001-07:00

Here are some beautiful flickr favorites..

********************************************************
..and for some eye candy..
this poster by slidesideways
this lovely beneath the stars print by Marisa
this precious photo
credit
and, of course I'm in love with these RVA newbies...
(i ♡ the owl brooch & cosmetic case the most!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Happy Birthday to my Mom!
Her birthday is today~ we will probably go out to celebrate over the weekend.
I think I've posted this one before. I guess I was 4 or 5 yrs old..eesh! It's always been one of my favorites of her and I. ;)
~Have a great evening all! oxoxo.

happy mail!~

2009-08-27T21:54:00.001-07:00

After a long day of school I come home and find this extraordinary package waiting for me! =)
Deb is so wonderful.
She was so sweet to also include my favorite Haribo gummi bears (the gold bag). They are not pictured above because I ate them. :-P
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Short post tonight. I'm so exhausted.....hope to be back tomorrow with some new eye candy!
;)
~☂ It's raining like crazy tonight. We need it!~

-Back to school-

2009-08-26T21:17:00.001-07:00

Yes, today was the day.

I really wasn't into it at first but as the day progressed it was ok.

(finally showing off my RVA cozy that I purchased awhile back. ;))
school supplies..
***********************************************
And, here are the little terrors who drove me into a panic yesterday..
Attack of the geese!!!
Perhaps one of the best action shots I have taken.

~allergies, austin, & geese!~

2009-08-25T22:25:00.000-07:00

so..i'm still drowning myself with hot tea & lemon with honey.
i hate
hate
hate
allergies.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow is the first day back at school. I'm not really looking forward to it because I've been up in Austin (my favorite city♥) since yesterday. Lewis and I came up early on Monday so we could get him moved into his apartment. We had so much to do! Thank goodness we got everything done. I took some photos today but realized I left my camera cable at home so I can't upload tonight. :-( Dang it!

Ok--and let me just tell you that I was actually chased by a gaggle of geese earlier today! Yes, it is true.. We had just gotten out of the parking lot at Wal-mart when we noticed the group up ahead. I told Lewis to slow down so I can get out real quick and take a few shots with my camera. You know how I always have my camera on me, right? :) Well, I got out of the car and started approaching them. They stared at me at first while I took a blurry shot. As I got closer the ENTIRE gaggle started darting towards me. Fast! I was thinking, "oh crap". Then I just ran all the way back to the car. I barely made it in before they bit me in the butt! I saw their necks going back in forth like they wanted to attack. I swear that was the scariest thing that has happened to me in a long time. But nevertheless it was pretty hilarious. Lewis laughed a lot.
:)

~9 things I am crazy about Sunday!~

2009-08-23T03:01:00.000-07:00

1. this hilarious/adorable little photo.

2. dying to see this movie...
(September 25 it will come out limited in the US)
3. incredible images by andrew f photo (the last image I sooooo want to recreate....should I? =))
4. these handmade leather rings from Ruche
5. chocolate scented postage stamps ;-P
yum, yum!
6. completely in love with these shoes this week...
7. the Pen Pal Pack
(I am very tempted to purchase this!!)
found here.
8. photographer Bharat Sikka
(Alice in Wonderland series)
9. positive eraser rings
by yellowgoat
(oh so cute!)

~Well it seems that my allergies are about out of control. :-( When I woke up this morning I could barely speak and I had so much drainage. Yuck. Looks like I'll be taking it easy with cups and cups of hot tea with lemon.
~Hope everyone had a nice & restful weekend!
~oxoxo.

late friday~

2009-08-21T11:59:00.000-07:00

I'm up late again. It's 2:31 a.m.
I never seem to get my blog posts out early anymore. Dang.
I'll get better about that!

Here's a few small art pieces I created earlier this week that I wanted to share. Not sure what I'm going to do with them just yet. They were made a couple of nights ago when I stayed up until 4 am and felt like creating something. ;)

I skipped out on thrifting today. Maybe tomorrow when we are out and about on errands.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We did see "Julie & Julia" tonight like I had hoped. =))
The movie was absolutely fantastic! I swear that Meryl Streep..she never ceases to amaze me. She is so versatile with her performances and that's why she is clearly one of my favorites.
cheers!*

~pencil pouch love~

2009-08-20T22:12:00.000-07:00

i ♥ pencil pouches, i must admit.

how can you not when they are this cute?
i need to find a new one this weekend before school starts next week.

kukubee

Cheryland
NewDuds kaylah7
alliebeans

..tomorrow i..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~want to go to a cool thrift store.
~might get to see "julie & julia" finally on a date afternoon. ;)
~want to take a few random photos. we'll see...hehe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
in other news...
i signed up for elise's "the visual adventures" online workshop & can't wait for it to start!
:)))

oh how i wish for fall..

2009-08-19T17:06:00.000-07:00

As far as Summer is concerned, I'm so over it. I've been over it.

I can't wait for the Fall...

I want to feel the cool breeze outside.
I want to wear long sleeves.
I want to sip hot tea and coffee or cocoa.
I want to take some Autumn-y photographs.
I want to lay in the leaves.

(this was in no way or shape a poem hehe)

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credit

credit

~My absolute hands down favorite movie to watch during the Fall months is "You've Got Mail". I have seriously watched that movie ten thousand and one times and it never gets old. ;)
Ahhh.....
it's my comfort flick.

favorite quote:
"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address. On the other hand, this not knowing has its charms." --Joe Fox credit
~♥~
mk

today

2009-08-17T19:49:00.000-07:00

{i took this photo.}

i drank three cups of hot tea with honey and lemon.
(i woke up with a super sore throat this morning..hope i'm not coming down with something)

i slept in.

i edited some photos.

i caught up on several emails from when i was out of town.

i did not exercise.

i did not do laundry but i should of.

i was feeling artsy.

i created something special with the vintage paper pack i have. it came out beautiful. :)

we had hot dogs for dinner.

i stayed in my pajamas until 3:30 this afternoon when i finally took a shower.

~♥~

8 pretty & inspiring things Sunday!~

2009-08-16T17:40:00.000-07:00

i'm changing the title this time ;)

1. Local Color movie
i'm ready for this movie to open!

2. oversized animals
(so hilarious!!)
3. drawings by Nas Chompas
4. home is..

credit

5. Dear Creatures
Autumn 2009 Collection
6. Maiko Takeda
7. this pretty dress..

ModCloth

8. love watermelon credit
:-)

Duke Chapel

2009-08-16T16:39:00.000-07:00

The Chapel was absolutely amazing! I mean, beyond words..
I couldn't stop taking pictures..
(more on my flickr)

The only thing I regret is having my Sony point and shoot instead of my Nikon. Ugh. I brought the wrong camera. :-/

I'm baaacccckkkk! ;)

2009-08-15T19:25:00.000-07:00

Top 5 things I like about North Carolina:

1) It’s so green and lush

2) Tall, beautiful trees

3) Friendly people

4) Nice weather (they actually experience seasons, unlike Texas where we just have “hot”)

5) Duke University

Our flight got in a little past midnight last night. We slept until 3 this afternoon just to catch up on the sleep we didn't get on the trip. Whew!! It was very much needed. I feel better now. I spent most of the afternoon relaxing and editing photos from the trip.

Here's what I have so far:our travel mascot =)
had to stop at Waffle House
mmm...

our hotel view @ 6:30 am
Treasure Bay Hotel & Casino
Biloxi, Mississippi
(I LOVED this hotel)
beach umbrellas
Biloxi, Mississippi
Whiskey bar
Durham, North Carolina
walking back to the hotel after the bar
fun with the camera :-)
after a couple drinks..
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The last day we visited Duke University. What a beautiful place with such welcoming people. I wish I were a student there.
Still editing so you will get to see the inside of the chapel next. It was breathtaking.
Happy weekend!~
☀

from the road..

2009-08-13T19:23:00.000-07:00

Hey there! I'm finally able to sit down with an internet connection and share some photos from the road. We arrived in North Carolina last night. Tonight we are staying at the Marriott in Durham and we'll visit Duke University tomorrow. I ♥ this hotel, its super nice! ;)

Here are a few photos:
(more to come when I return)
us travelers =)~
(taken from the car)
I'm enjoying being outdoors and seeing the beautiful trees. :-)
P.S.> I do miss the blog world..hope to catch up on Saturday with everyone.
*many hugs*
*A special hello to Deb! I got your email and will be responding soon. =)*

travel, travel

2009-08-10T16:53:00.000-07:00

leaving tomorrow morning at 7am! sharp! whew!

MUCHO coffee will be had...

today has been mostly spent looking over my lists to make sure i got everything and packing..
i am bringing 2 cameras so lots of picture taking will take place. hehe :-P
i'm even packing a blank journal, lots of tape, and a date stamp to keep me busy on my adventures. this is going to be fun!

here's some traveling/suitcase inspiration i found...
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~happy trails!~
i will be bringing my laptop on the trip but i'm not sure how much internet access i will have.
will be gone from tomorrow until friday late, late night.
xoxo!

8 things i ♥ sunday!~

2009-08-09T17:06:00.000-07:00

i'm shortening the list this week, but it's a good one!

ready.
set.
GO!
1) SUKIE products

(so glad i found this site because this stuff is RAD! )

2. this adorable paper cones wreath
"not just for christmas"
(secret confession: i love christmas time/the holidays..no matter what month it is i always wish it was december already!)

3. EQart jewelry
(i was so fortunate to win heart earrings in her shop this week=))
(pictured above are my favorites in her shop)

4) Manic Trout
5) Erin Mulvehill underwater, a series of photos
6) I Heart Guts site
7) these earth pencils8) roller travel bags from Ulta

(i purchased some more Marc Jacobs Daisy perfume and got a free travel bag! i chose the pink & black one. going to use it for my north carolina trip on tuesday!)
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I have some list making to do & small purchases to make tonight and tomorrow in preparation for my trip. Oooh...I'm excited! I'm actually one of those people who love to organize and pack little travel size items. I think they are cute. I'm weird..ha.
:-)

I am so lucky~ TGIF!

2009-08-07T17:48:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday all!

I'm starting to feel a little less sore today so I'm very grateful. :~)
When I woke up this morning I checked my email to find out that I won this giveaway!
Sooo excited!! These heart earrings are so beautiful. Thank you, thank you!
I must of had a lucky, lucky week because I rarely win anything!
Forgot to mention I won one of these postcards early in the week from Rhianne's blog.

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I haven't done any self portraits in awhile so I thought it was about time. I snapped these this afternoon by my window. Gosh, I miss being in front of the camera. Hope to have a photo shoot when I completely heal. :)

Have a relaxing night and a terrific weekend if I can't get back on here!
*hugs, hugs, and more hugs*