Let It Go

What's inspiring me: Some of my favorite quotes from the past few days.  Reading these keeps me going sometimes. :)

From: here, here. and here

What I'm making: This first page is from art journal #1, and it is not finished yet.  I don't exactly know what else to add yet, but I love the heart background.

The second page is from art journal #2.  I got the gray and blue paper from a craft fair, and I have been waiting for the perfect page to use some of it on. 

What I want to make: I saw this idea on Traci Bunkers blog about using fruit as a stamp for pages!  I haven't tried this technique yet, but here are photos and examples.  I need to try this soon.

What I want to decorate with: This blog has 10 wonderful ideas about decorating that I want to try.  My favorite?  Framed wallpaper, and mix-and-matching chairs in the kitchen.  I cannot wait to be living on my own in an apartment in a few years!   

Much love.

Jackson Michelson

What I'm listening to: Jackson Michelson came and played at my school recently, and he was amazing!  He is a Christian and has played at Younlife camps, as well.  I got his cd after the show and I have been listening to it non-stop.  Add him on fb or follow him on twitter, because he's the best.

from: here
What I'm taking pictures of: This week was full of ups and downs.  It snowed!  I went shopping for a photo album to start Project Life (I didn't find any), and I am headed home to celebrate my sissy's birthday.  The first photo is a candle holder from Ross.  I loved the quote: with faith we can achieve all that we believe.  The second photo is a sort of picture of the snow at school.

What I'm reading: The Laziest Ways to Lose Weight popped up on my MSN homepage today.  I need to start working out again.  I go through phases when I am very motivated, then other time when I'm not at all.  My favorite tips from the article:

• Don't go shopping when you are hungry, and only buy what is on your list.  This month I have lived off campus, so I have had to make my own meals.  I have been working on making specific shopping lists for only what I need.  It's faster, and you buy less junk this way!
• Buy ready to eat snacks.  At school, I will always go to the store and buy chocolate or chips.  However, lately I have kept carrots and apples ready to eat.  I have also been buying healthy granola bars.  These are way healthier and quicker to grab and go. 
• Drink water before every meal.  It makes you fill up faster.
• And my favorite: sleep!!  The article says: "People who slept 5 to 6 hours a night gained 4.5 pounds more than those who dozed for 7 to 8 hours nightly."

My mom also sent me this article, How to be Full of Wonder.  I loved the simple tricks to live a happier life.

And this beauty blog, Maskcara, that has great hair and makeup youtube videos!  Plus her latest entry is about Friday Night Lights, one of my all time favorite shows.

Faith

What I'm watching: Earlier this week I watched this video: Why I Hate Religion, but Love Jesus.  I just had to share it on here, because it was so inspirational.  He has another video called Sexual Healing that is just as good.  "Think twice before you eat what society feeds us.  Come follow the King, His name is Jesus."  Jefferson Bethke puts faith and a relationship with Jesus in a whole new perspective.  One of my favorite quotes: I've spent my whole life building a facade of neatness, but now that I know Jesus, I boast in my weakness.

Blogs I'm reading:  I decided to follow Jefferson's twitter, and he posted a link to a blog called Wonderfully Made.  It is the best blog filled with quotes and bible stories.  It is so encouraging to read, definitely a new favorite.

What I'm learning: Today in church we went over John 9: Blindness.  It was a great message describing how we each have a blindness.  Jesus can bring light to our darkness, if we are open to having His touch.  We also talked about muscle memory, and if you practice something it will become second nature.  We all stray and wander somtimes, but each time it gets easier to go back to Him.  Just the message I needed to hear.

From: here, here, and here

So trust in Him today, much love.

Books, Blogs and Writing

Blogs I love:

• This blog is called Be More With Less, and there was a post recently about writing.  I loved how she said that she has been writing for her whole life.  So inspirational. 
• Another post I loved was titled here's to the crazy ones.  The message about dreaming big is so appropriate for the new year.  Lately I have loved finding quotes to keep me going.  "So here’s to the CRAZY ONES: the Risk Takers, the ones who change the world."
• My favorite post, however, is one that inspired me to write this entry.  School is crazy and I feel like I never have any time to be creative or relax anymore.  But I loved this post about what blogging has taught her in 2011.  Starting this blog project last summer I had no idea what to expect.  But I learned that people want to encourage creativity.  I never realized that what I did would actually inspire others.  I want people to live a more creative life. 
• Gal Meets Glam is a fashion blog that I found on Pinterst (yes, I caved and got one!).  I really love her outfits, they are adorable.

What I'm reading:  Over winter break I actually had time to read!  I loved it.  I finished:

• Memoirs of a Geisha
• Cutting for Stone 
• The Lucky One is going to be a movie soon!  I haven't read this one yet, but my friend just finished it and said it was amazing!

Lots of my friends are abroad right now for the month, and I saw this photo on Facebook.  A girl in my sorority, Bri, is in England right now.  I loved this photo and I realized that I should be journaling more, too.  Even though I am not abroad, I can still document my life adventures.

From: here

Much love.

Best Day Ever

What I'm doing: I saw this quote in a friend's apartment, and I LOVED it!

What I'm listening to:  My friend accidentally downloaded the wrong version of Let Me Love You, but discovered this artist, Alex Lambert, who is so good!  His name sounded familiar since he was on American Idol in season 9.  My favorite songs?  DJ Got Us Falling In Love, Use Somebody, and  Wonderful World

What I'm creating:  So I thought I brought a blank notebook with me to school52WoL prompt for me this week: What describes your perfect day?

What I want to make:

• I found these bracelets while I was on stumbleupon.  So cute.
• These cherry blossom lights to put in a vase on a desk or dresser.
• Pretty paper flowers to put on bookmarks or decorate journals with.
• This cute polka dot shirt from this wonderful website.

Back at School

What I'm doing: I have been back at school for over a week now, and I am going to try my very hardest to continue making things throughout the year.  I have already found how much harder it will be, though!  My goal is to participate in the 52 Weeks of Lists challenge.  I hope to devote a little time each week to make something creative.  I need to start this new challenge this week.  :)

What I'm making:  These cards are so cute and easy to make.  Just take a doilie and use it as a stencil on a card!

Here is my last summer index card.  I have honestly loved this challenge, and I cannot wait to start it again next summer.  I am not going to continue this fall, though since I am too busy!  The quote on the bandaide box was perfect to remind me that it will all be okay, even if life does not go as planned.  

What I'm reading-blogs I love:  As I was reading about the 52 Weeks of Lists (52 WoL), I discovered this blog.  Her post from Wednesday is about blogging, and I loved reading her tips.  So inspirational. 

What my dorm looks like:  I thought it would be fun to post some things about decorating dorm rooms since I live in one like 9 months out of the school year.  Decorating is my favorite part of the school year.

I love the shelf we got for my desk area.  Since I am an English major, I have a ton of books, so the shelf makes it a lot easier to keep everything organized.  We got it from Storables; my favorite part about the storage system is that you can make it taller and buy more pieces for it!  I also love the tie rack we got to hold my necklaces. 

We have an old desk or sewing desk thing at my house.  My mom had an idea to pull out one of the drawers to hold all of my perfumes and lotions.

I saw these flowers from PBTeen, but they were pretty expensive.  So I went to Michaels and bought two boquets of fake flowers.  I cut the stems off and added a small strip of white ribbon on the backs of them to hold them in place.  I used sticky puddy to hold them to the walls!

I cannot seem to find the link to where I discovered this idea, but I took a plate and painted it with blackboard paint.  I painted the clothes pins and hot glued them along the edges once the paint dried.  Then add photos and cards.  :)

These photo mats are my very favorite dorm accessory.  I love displaying photos, so these work perfectly and I can put them up with command hooks and not poke any holes in my walls.  I think the collage look on walls is so cute, so that is what I have on the right side.  I need to add more to it, though. 

I will try to do another post later this week.  :)

Much love.

Long Days, Short Years

The days are long, but the years are short. -Gretchen Rubin 

It is crazy to think that in just a few days I will be headed back to college!  Packing, saying goodbye...yet the excitement of a fresh year is right around the corner. :)

What I'm creating:  I made one spread in art journal #1 and #2 today, and I love how they both turned out.

Much love.