Love lost

Within the last three days, I've found out about two people who lost their parents suddenly, without warning.

Three days.  Two people.  So many lives have changed at the drop of a hat in such a short time.

Love.

Love, love, love.

Do not take your relationships for granted.  Express how much you care for each human (or not human) being in your life.  Because you never know.

Repurposing mason

I am obsessed with saving glass jars.

And my husband absolutely cannot stand it.  The most recent jars I added to the collection I had to rescue out of the trash bin because they had ickies inside.  "But I can USE it!" is usually my reply to whatever else might be said about the poor jar.  Sanitized and happy, it gets stashed away in the cupboard set aside specially for my finds.

I'm often told that my hoarding is reminiscent of my great grandma, whom we lived with for several years when I was a child.  A woman of the Great Depression, she saved e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.  At seven years old, it seemed strange to save yogurt containers, clothespins and pieces of wrapping paper.  But now at a point in my life when I want to learn to reuse, repurpose and recycle, returning to the habits my great grandma developed doesn't seem odd at all.  In fact, it's smart.

Those pickle jars are now filled with other goods, such as nuts, granola and coffee.  The bathrooms are becoming more organized, tossing bobby pins and cotton swabs into their topless glass homes.  I even scavenged for more during trips to the recycling center, to be used at our wedding.  And I love it.

What things are you known for obsessively repurposing?

Sitting

Over the last few months, Erik and I have been experiencing huge life changes.  We've moved way more than I would like to remember, gotten engaged and then married, purchased a new car and now Erik is graduating and in the process of looking for a professional career position as an engineer.

I'm worn out.

Things are getting stressful as we transition from student to real-life grown-ups.  There is just something about getting out of school that creates a different outlook, even though I've been taking care of myself for years.  We have no idea where we will end up, or if I'll be staying here to finish my last semester or trying to transfer to another university that offers a similar program to the one I'm currently in.  No way to plan, no clue as to what to do next.  Sitting on my hands isn't what I do best.

But I sit.

I know I've mentioned this before, but learning how to be happy in the moment and not always focusing on what will happen next is something I have never found easy (which is why I bring it up so often).  I want to be 18.  I want to be done with this semester.  I can't wait for this day to be over.  After a while, I will have wished my entire life away and I'll end up 85 years old wondering when I've ever been happy with the present moment.

So through all this craziness, through the life adjustment and uncertainty, I'm learning to just sit and enjoy.  Enjoy my husband, my health and my craftiness.  My home.  My job.  My life.

Meet Me on Monday

Now that I'm back into blogging a little more regularly, I wanted to start doing Meet Me on Monday again, hosted by Java at Never Growing Old.  I love filling out little "get to know you" forms and it's always fun to see what other people are doing!

1.  Does your family/friends know about your blog?
2.  What is your favorite card game?
3.  What do you wear to bed? 
4.  What is your favorite kind of French Fry?
5.  What is your usual bed time?

Pumpkins: Not just for carving

On Wednesday between the hours of 4:30pm and 1:30am, I spent the time baking and puréeing two very large pumpkins.  They were originally purchased for the sole purpose of carving, but never made it that far.  Last Halloween the same thing happened and the pumpkins ended up rotting, which I felt terrible about.  I don't know about you, but I really hate letting food in any form go to waste.  I just cleaned out my fridge and it wasn't a happy sight.

This year things would be different.  All I could think about when I saw these large orange boulders on my table was how many pies they might be worth.  Sure it's not quite as easy as buying a can of pumpkin (and maybe not quite as cheap either when you consider the oven cost) but at least I wasn't going to buy canned pumpkin and let these fresh ones rot.

As I usually do when faced with a new situation dealing with food and preservation, I hit up the Laurel's Kitchen cookbook my dad bought (and I confiscated) years back.  When I found nothing there, I googled it.

Side note--when did "googling" become a verb?

Here is my version of how to bake and purée pumpkins gathered from various sources.  Please note that I'm no culinary artist.  I'm just getting the job done.

1.  Cut pumpkins in half vertically so the stem is cut in half.  This makes it easier to clean and bake, in my opinion.  

2.  Scoop all the goop out, saving pumpkin seeds in a separate bowl for roasting.  

3.  Place the pumpkin cut-side down on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Doing this is like putting a lid on water so it boils faster.  It keeps all the heat in the pumpkin and I noticed it cooked a lot faster this way.  Then cover with foil, so as to keep the outside from burning and again, keep the heat "in."

4.  Turn the oven to 350 degrees and put your pumpkin in.  I don't let it preheat because when baking pumpkin your ultimate goal is to soften it enough to purée and preheating wastes energy if it isn't necessary.  

5.  Let your pumpkin bake.  Depending on the size of your pumpkin, it can take anywhere from 1 1/2-2 1/2 hours.  When it's done, it should be caving in a little which indicates it's soft enough to purée.  Take it out of the oven and let it cool.  I suggest 20 minutes of cooling time.

6.  Once you have let the pumpkin cool to where you are comfortable handling it, start scooping the insides out and place in a blender or food processor.  You should be able to get every little bit of the pulp while leaving a thin skin from the outside of the pumpkin.  Fill your blender to about 2/3-3/4 full, put the lid on and hit "purée."  The pumpkin is ready when it's smooth and there are no chunks left in the blender.

7.  You can store your pumpkin in the freezer or refrigerator.  If storing in the refrigerator, put in an airtight container and keep for 7-10 days (or so).  If storing in the freezer, fill freezer bags and store for 2-3 months.

Here are a few websites I found helpful.  

Pick Your Own

The Pioneer Woman

All Recipes

The Happy Housewife

Happy puréeing!

Eye Candy

Ruche has become a severely addictive online boutique that I randomly found through Google ads.  The tagline is "Vintage inspired clothing, affordable clothes and eco-friendly fashion" and I have to say it lives up to all of it (except perhaps affordability for this college student/newlywed).

Recently they created a Homemade Holiday Handbook, which has become my favorite thing to stare at whenever I get the chance.  Their photos make you want absolutely everything in that little book and inspires so much beautiful creativity.  

I encourage you to check out their store for a little eye candy!

End and a Beginning

I have felt as though a huge part has been missing since I stopped blogging.  I keep thinking I need to start something and then I'm just unable to figure out where to start.  So here's to the end of abandonment!

And I'll begin with sharing some of our special wedding day.  Special it was.  Low-stress it was not.  With a car accident, family kerfuffles and not enough sleep, I can't imagine that I came out of it alive (or anyone for that matter).  But everyone survived, all is well, and we're married!  

Weekend Wedding Projects

Here it is, Friday already.  And exactly six weeks until the wedding!  My family is staying for the weekend and helping get some decorations and other things put together.  I'm previewing some projects we'll be working on.

  I received the flowers for the bouquets/boutonnieres so we'll get those done.  It will look somewhat like this, but with a lot of greenery.

Then these pom-pom vines.  I've been dying to have these for my wedding ever since I saw them almost a year ago.  I've made a little one just to see how it would turn out and it did well!  

And of course, some bunting flags.  I've seen this trend recently and simply could not get away without having some at my own wedding.  

Basically, my wedding theme is outdoor rustic color and fun.  I've been nervous about pulling it all together but I've got the big picture in my brain.  Hopefully it works out that way!    

Such big news!

I have been meaning to post since I returned home from vacation but have been terrible about finding time. Anyway-- I'm getting married! That's right! Erik proposed while on vacation. We hiked to the top of table rock in the Medford, Oregon area and as we were taking a break he brought out a jewelry box with the most beautiful engagement ring inside. I just am beside myself with excitement!

The date is set for October 22nd of this year! So soon, but as college graduation is coming up so soon it seemed like the best time. We are planning it at my grandparents cabin with a rustic/vintage theme. As my projects start coming together, I will be sure to post pictures. Bunting and pom pom vines are on the way!

As school began, construction was happening on our apartment and we decided to move. We have a much larger apartment now with a laundry room included(no more hanging clothes in the living room!). It was a crazy labor day weekend but I'm feeling less overwhelmed by noise and doors getting boarded over ( I will post photos of that ASAP as well). So all in all, things are fabulous here. In all this planning and moving I am reminded to remain thankful for everything.

I hope your new school year/Fall has begun well!

Making Meaning

Again, it's been too long.  When summer began I was sure there would be more time for blogging but in fact it seems there is less.  That, or nothing to discuss.

Do you find yourself regretting the way you spend your days?  I've been working on making each day meaningful but there are sometimes when I get to the evening and am utterly disappointed with how I wasted my time.  Wasted it watching tv, sitting on the couch, moping around, etc.  When there are all these piles of laundry surrounding me, yoga classes I could be attending or unfinished sewing projects sitting at my workspace, I feel like I could have done something far more worthwhile.

But what if I don't feel like it?

It's only until we see the consequence of our decisions that we realize that we do feel like it--we just forgot until it was too late.

Take time today to find meaning.  Do something.  Enjoy the outdoors.

A Return To Veganism

Yes, it has yet again been a while.  After the chaos of finishing up Summer courses, I needed to deep clean my home, work a few extra hours and then I ended up on vacation for several days.  I just keep putting off this post!

Almost two weeks ago, I chose to return to a vegan diet for a short time.  Only for a month to start and I'll see how it goes.  In the past when I chose to become a vegan, my health greatly improved so I'm hoping that this time it will do the same.  I have the common "but I don't want to live without cheese" syndrome, especially since I work in a place that has such a wide variety of delicious cheeses.  So perhaps once I get through this month I will keep things cut back.

I've been reading "The China Study" which is a very detailed book about the correlation between nutrition and cancer, specifically how animal protein effects the development of cancer.  It's incredibly fascinating and has me rethinking some of the things I eat.    The arguments in the book are compelling and the author seems to have spent decades researching the topic, but knowing whether or not it's valid is hard to completely figure out.  One never knows since these days all sorts of people write completely ridiculous diet books that take the world by storm and in the end cause only harm.

On the vegan note, I wanted to link a blog that I found today when looking for a good soy yogurt recipe.  For those who already are vegan or toy with the idea, it's a great place to find healthy vegan recipes (as some can be complete junk).  Check out FatFree Vegan Kitchen.

The Unthinkable

Well, I did it.

I bought a Shabby Apple swimsuit.

I simply could not resist.  I was thinking about it for weeks.  And now that it's warm enough and there are plans to be at the coast a few times this summer.... I did it.

The Unthinkable.

Beautifully Unthinkable ;-)

A dreamy weekend

I've been so blessed this weekend.  Considering my test was complete on Thursday, I have very little work on over the next few days except my home and a few Father's Day projects.

The weather was delightful yesterday, so a 15 mile bike ride was definitely in order.

I always forget that Erik is a trickster when pictures are involved :).

Not to mention the fun downtown party for the annual Art Walk.

I so appreciate my town.  The community truly is a community that enjoys being together.

Late last night we saw "Super 8" which I thought was great.  I never tire of a good humans-treating-aliens-badly-and-it-smacking-them-back-in-the-face movie.  I wish I was that cool when I was in middle school.

And today, it was Farmer's Market, Yoga, a delightful lunch, tidying and reading.

The photo is a little dark, but now you have a nice view out one of my windows!  Doesn't my parsley plant look so sad?  I'm doing the best I can but since it's raining today, he isn't getting enough sunshine.

Those flowers came from the Farmer's Market today :).  So pretty.  I was able to pick them up for $5, which is not bad especially when I figure I'm supporting my local businesses.

And for lunch.

We had Lemon Asparagus Pasta which has become one of my favorites this Spring.  The recipe comes from the cookbook "Simply in Season" which is a World Community Cookbook, affiliated with the Mennonite Central Committee.   

The salad was some pineapple, blueberries and blackberries.  If you can get a hold of some incredible pineapple, spring for it.  It's worth every penny!

I wish you all a fabulous weekend!

Dear.16.Year.Old.Me

There is a powerful message today.

And it came at the right time.  Right when I was considering that ridiculous tanning bed.

I believe that this video completely speaks for itself.

Please watch it.

Centering.

Cherry Blossom Yoga Festival

I have mentioned before that I'm a yoga practitioner.  I have yet to make it a part of my every single day living, but it is something I have worked on for years.  Over this last academic year, I was taking a Power Vinyasa class at the Student Rec Center and the instructor was *amazing*.  I'm one of those get-deeper-than-just-fitness kind of practicers, so I try to find instructors who are focused on the mind as well as the body.  

I noticed some flyers at the Co-op about a month ago that featured a new yoga studio downtown.  And there was a coupon for unlimited classes for a month for $30 (quite a steal, in my opinion).  Then after reading an article about the new place, I realized the one who opened it was my yoga instructor at the rec center!  Fabulous!  And--it's closer to my house than work (which is already only 2.5 minutes away).  

Last night was my first time there and it was incredible.  I worked hard, but felt -- released.  Comforted.

I intend on making it a part of my daily practice.

Meet Me on Monday.

Here it is, Monday again.  So far it's been rainy and cold, but I've managed to accomplish a fair amount of duties.  I have new projects to share tomorrow, so check in again tomorrow to see some exciting new things!

Time for the Meet Me on Monday blog hop hosted by Java at Never Growing Old.

Questions:
1.  What is your favorite yogurt flavor?
2.  Ankle or knee socks? and on the same theme, white socks or coloured??
3.  How is the weather right now?
4.  Are you a fast typer?
5.  Red or White Wine?

Covering Up.

As a girl who grew up with a fairly conservative background when it came to clothing, I never quite got used to wearing a bikini when swimming.  My parents never let me wear one so as soon as I moved out of their home I purchased one.  Delightful as I thought it was, I felt utterly naked.  But with all the advertisements containing nothing but cute and sexy bikini tops and bottoms and frumpy one pieces, I certainly was not going back to the old ways.

Now I have admitted to myself that I don't care for being nearly naked in front of total strangers.  In fact, I would probably feel better about wearing nothing at all than wearing these little patches of fabric attached to strings.  Not to mention my lack of confidence.  My rear never does seem to get to a point of firmness and the cellulite doesn't leave completely regardless of lunges, so I end up wearing shorts over the bikini bottom anyway.

So in search of new swimsuits, I have run across Shabby Apple's collection of swimwear.  Remember that dress I won?  Well they make swimsuits too!  It is incredible.  All are so beautiful and elegant, but most are nowhere near string bikini status.

Source: shabbyapple.com via Alexis on Pinterest

This one is beautiful.  I am a huge fan of olive colored anything.  And that bow is fantastic!

Source: shabbyapple.com via Alexis on Pinterest

And you can even wear pearls with these!  My favorite :).

I think it's a good reminder that as women, we do not need to look sleazy in order to be noticed or fit in.  In fact, one can look far better if one presents one's self as a classy lady instead of Victoria's Secret model.

Meet Me on Monday.

Here it is, Monday again!  Even though I just took a miserable test, I will continue to look on the positive side of things.  I am now over halfway done with Summer school and today I'll be cleaning up my house and finally getting some sewing done!  And..... some of my flower hair clips were featured in a treasury on Etsy today!

And now, for the usual Meet Me on Monday blog hop from Never Growing Old.

Questions:

1.  What is was the last piece of candy that you ate?
2.  Do you "read" in the bathroom?
3.  I can't stand when someone _________?
4.  Do you do daily, weekly or monthly grocery shopping?

A Random Friday

Happy Friday!  It is such a beautiful day!  After dreary weather that was highly reminiscent of February, it's finally sunny again.  Thank the Lord.

I don't work nor did I have to be on campus today.  In fact, I am writing this while still in my bed due to my lazy nature (and slight headache from the champagne I had last night to toast the new apartment).  I plan on actually getting everything cleaned up and organized today so I can finally post a few pictures of the new place.  Laundry and dishes will be caught up.  I will it to be.

I think I will also get started on the top I was mentioning yesterday.  I pulled out the fabric last night to make sure I had enough and I believe I do.

I may have posted about this before, but I have been testing the waters of Overnight Oats for breakfast.  I get out the door so fast in the mornings that unless I plan something the night before, I won't be eating until noon.  This recipe is from Fit Foodie Finds, a delightful blog by a girl in college who is living an incredibly healthy lifestyle.  I love her excitement over things such as grapes and almond butter.  It sure is encouraging :).  Anyway, this recipe is fantastic and quite delicious, not to mention nutritious.  I topped mine with some blueberries I got at the co-op a few days ago.  It's the first time I've done anything with chia seeds and I've gotta say, I love them.  I encourage you all to try out the recipe sometime soon!

No sleep tonight

Last night, after a long day of work and school I plopped sleepily into bed and what did I do?  I definitely  did not go to sleep.

I was designing tops for myself.

I have a whole bunch of leftover jersey fabric from my underwear escapades and I realized that creating a boatneck tank top that was red from the waist up and cream from the waist down would likely be exquisite.  I could hardly keep myself from getting up and cutting out the pattern at midnight.  

 Inspiration for this piece was way too much reading about Coco Chanel's obsession with jersey fabric and the film "When Paris Sizzles" that features Audrey Hepburn.  She wears the most delightful tops that seem to float.  

So we'll see how it turns out.  I would include some photos so you could see what I'm envisioning, but for some reason uploader isn't working.  Perhaps it's the torrential rain we're experiencing here today.

Blue is the new black

Finally, I am completely out of the old apartment.

12 days later.

So now it's on to getting a place for everything in this new space.  And trying to paint everything blue and white.

I'm interested in making some paper garlands for some spaces on the walls, like in the entryway along the arch.  Here are a few I've found for some inspiration.

This delightful garland from Creature Comforts is fantastic and would match the color scheme of my decor ideas.  And I have so much newspaper lying around (and books I can tear up from the recycling center) that it would be a cinch to create without wasting.

And then there is this one from Pam Garrison using coffee filters in various colors.  I love the floaty-ness.  And if I changed that little dash of pink to a blue that matches my paint, it would be perfect.  So pretty.  Not to mention all those coffee filters I have in my cupboard that no longer get used since I'm a French Press coffee drinker now.

And finally, what to do with all those elements that simply do not match what I want?  I don't want to just toss them, but we've collected all these random items for the walls.  I can always re-paint things like candle holders and the black furniture, but paintings and posters aren't so easily changed.  Hmm.  Decisions, decisions..

Poo

I always forget what happens after a relaxing vacation.

Reality.

I came home all ready for conquering the world.  I cleaned up the new place and finally had most of the stuff in order.  I clean the old one today and get everything completely out of there.  But as I was checking my grades for my newest Buddhism paper, it was a big slap in the face.  60%.  The lowest D.

I'm not attempting to brag, but in all classes my papers receive nothing but A's.  So with this grade added to the 67% I received on my first Biochemistry test, I pretty much feel like a big pile of poo.

But, I refuse to let it get to me much more.  I will go home, scrub down the old place and say goodbye.  Then I will buy a sage stick and get rid of all negative energy.  And move on.

If only I wasn't so tired from waking up extra early...

Charmed Living

I’ve realized how much I enjoy a certain type of self-help books.  They aren’t necessarily how to get what you want or how to get over your controlling self, but more how to enjoy yourself and stop getting stuck in the negative, stressful rut that Western civilization seems to be obsessed with.

My most current read was while I spent a rejuvenating weekend at my grandparents cabin.  “Living a Charmed Life” by Victoria Moran gives fifty short essays on different ways to alter your thinking, change your habits and live a “charmed” life (whatever that may be).  I love Victoria for her spirituality and openness.  She is not suggesting perfection, nor is she offering salvation.  But for those who are already spiritual she shows how to further that relationship with the Higher Being and “share the light.”  Yes, maybe a little kum bai yah, but encouraging nonetheless.

I appreciate her practical suggestions as well.  Getting up early to meditate and take the time to slowly get ready, eat breakfast and drink your morning coffee (or Teecinno) is a far better way to start the day than a rushed shower and piece of toast out the door.  Regular exercise including 20-30 minutes cardio, the same of strength training and 10 minutes of stretching gives about an hour at the gym for 5-6 days a week.  For some reason, this suggestion doesn’t seem as terrible as an hour of cardio every day.  Perhaps it’s due to the fact that I hate doing the same thing for too long (this coming from the girl who refuses to quilt simply because it’s too big a project).  And then there are ideas such as the Law of Expectation.  Expect that you’ll get/do/be something and you will.  Very “positive thinking” but hey, it’s much better than being a negative nelly.  Although according to this law, if you think something negative you’ll get it.

Perhaps it’s the encouragement that life can be better if we choose to do something about it that draws me to these books.  I’m an action-based individual.  I do things.  This is just another way to make it better, even if it does mean adding a little "magic."

It's a birthday weekend!

It's Erik's 22nd birthday today.  Happy Birthday!  Uploader isn't working right now, but I'll post pictures of the cake when it works :).

Last year we were crawling in the bushes... (way too much for a 21 run).

I will be in the woods.

And experiencing Folk Life Festival in Seattle, Wa.  I havent been for 18 years and am looking forward to going with my family.  Again.  My little brothers are about the same age I and my sister were when we went.

Not to mention, a break.  While I got a terrible grade on my first biochemistry test, I refuse to work on anything this weekend.  It shall be fantastic.

Have a lovely memorial day weekend!

My Construction Zone

So we are finally about moved into the new apartment.  A few odds and ends remain in the old apartment (which is right next door) and we still need to clean it up, but mostly we're done moving.  It's just that the darn place is a mess.  School gets in the way of organizing, decorating and deep cleaning.  Needless to say,  I'm currently living in the middle of a construction zone.

I'm pretty sure I should just plaster my doors with this sign.

I painted my bookshelves a lovely blue, but then the big one broke.  It's now in pieces on the balcony.

However, we bought this fantastic grill and had a bbq last weekend, which was fabulous!  It rained cats and dogs, but we had a good time anyway.  

And now we have enough room that this gigantic desk can fit in our apartment!  Erik really wanted one so we made it work.  Even though the entertainment center kind of leans forward due to the waves of the old floors, it still works.

I promise I will post actual pictures once the house gets in order.  But between work and school, there just hasn't been enough time to dedicate to making sure everything is sorted and put away.  Next weekend though, that will be the day!

Cheers!

Be Present

‎"This cycle of reactivity is called suffering. The task of our practice is to transform such reactivity and the greed, hatred, and delusion that fuel it. It is to realize that it is possible to experience pain without suffering, without passing on the pain to ourselves or others.” 

—From Donald Rothberg, "Present Moment, Urgent Moment" (“Tricycle” magazine, Fall 2004)

Meet Me On Monday

Here it is, another beginning to a fabulous week!  To celebrate, it's another Meet Me On Monday blog hop from Never Growing Older.


1. What is your favorite bagel flavor?
2. If you had an extra $100 right now, what would you spend it on?
3. What is the last thing that you felt guilt about doing?
4. Soft serve ice cream or hand dipped?
5. Are you allergic to anything?

The Summer List.

Well here it is. Spring semester is over and for those who mark seasons by their school schedules, it is now summer.  I am taking summer classes, so it isn't quite as fabulous as it is for others but I am enjoying it just the same.  The weather has been more enjoyable lately and we're even hosting a BBQ this weekend in celebration of our move and to celebrate the beginning of a great time.

I saw on Fit Foodie Finds a Summer list of sorts and I thought I should make my own.  Goals for the summer and things that I just want to do in my spare time.  Here is what I have come up with.

1.  Walk.  Every single darn day.  It is so pretty here, there is no reason to not take at least a half hour jaunt  to enjoy the pretty flowers and greenery.  Plus, I could use the extra exercise.

2.  Learn how to garden.  Even if it's just a few little potted plants, I need to hone this skill.  I just hope the squirrel doesn't eat all the green stuff and leave my plants to nothing.

3.  Feel good in my swimsuit (and shorts).  I stole this one from Fit Foodie Finds.  Every Spring I eat too much which leads to a poor self-esteem in Summer clothing.  I am bound and determined to feel good in my swimsuit and feel capable of putting on a pair of shorts, which was not possible last Summer.  The varicose veins sure don't help, but I figure if I can tan up enough they aren't as visible.  I refuse to let my self-esteem and laziness get in the way of cooling off this Summer.

4.  Get up before 10a.m.  Until June 25th, this won't be a problem since I have class at 8:30a.m. every day.  But last Summer, since I had no job and nothing to do I pretty much slept until 10:30a.m. or even as last as noon every single day.  I will not waste my mornings this year, no sirree.

5.  Enjoy time.  Take advantage of the cool evenings.  Relax.  Read books.  Sew.  Write.  Do all the things I want to do in my spare time when I have the spare time.  Don't waste it.

Meet Me on Monday.

I took such a long break from the Never Growing Older's Meet Me on Monday blog hop, but now I'm back into it!  Here are this week's questions


1.  Crunchy or smooth peanut butter?
2.  What is your favorite color Rose?
3.  Do you remove your shoes when you walk into your home?
4.  What is your favorite season?
5.  Approximately how many hours a day do you spend blogging?

A bit of catching up to do.

Yep, I certainly have been gone for a long time.  And here is the run-down..

French films.  In all my spare time.  Some of my new favorites include "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not" and "How To Get Married And Stay Single."  While Audrey Tautou ends up in many of the popular French films these days, she is fabulous and I love her adorable personality.  Not to mention she looks like Audrey Hepburn.

Spring pounds.  I have put them on by the heap-load (not even sure if that is a word..).  Embarrassed by my extra weight and inability to fit comfortably into my clothing, I have purchased a few billowy tube-tops and signed up for a summer of fitness classes at the Student Rec Center.  I'm really hoping that the little added money I have to put down will help me to stay away from extra food.  Four Zumba classes a week had better get my butt into shape (literally).

School. Is. Through.  Except for my summer courses.  I will be taking Biochemistry and Buddhism (a "B" semester, it seems).  Excited for Buddhism.  Boo on Biochemistry.  But there isn't much of an option, unless I choose to graduate a semester later which isn't an option for me.  Thankfully everything will be complete by June 24th and I'll truly get to begin my summer.

Moving.  In less than a week.  I just began painting the bookshelves in order to prepare them for their new home across the balcony.  Tomorrow I'll finish it up and hopefully have some delightful pictures to show you.

Tired. Tired. Tired.  Finally the weather has decided to co-operate, but the humidity level has taken a few leaps.  It wore me out today, especially with work.  But it is splendid to be able to enjoy something other than sweaters.  However, I did have to take a trip to the Goodwill to find anything that wouldn't have me breaking into a sweat.  Note to self: when sorting through closet, leave a few out-of-season options for a change in weather!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Family Heirlooms

This weekend while visiting my family, my grandma gave me an extraordinary gift.  Her wedding dress.

I had tried it on back in December, since she has been sorting through things and figuring out what to do with it.  I loved it, and since she was willing to let me alter it I definitely accepted (even though I'm not currently engaged).  It is gorgeous.  The layers of lace spill over looking delightfully elegant and, dare I say it, vintage.

It made me think about how important it is to pass things down.  For some reason we don't seem to do this as often as we used to.  Perhaps it's because items are so readily available.  Maybe we don't treasure things as people did in the past.  But for whatever reason, passing down valuable items with history is not really done.

I want this back.  I want to give something old and of value to my children.  Something to remind them of the past, to honor it.

To show them.

The darn wheel is stuck

I feel so terribly absent.

Once I try to sit down and write, nothing happens.  Nothing notable has been going on, I haven't been able to think of a new project, and I haven't really read anything new to share.

It appears I am in a rut.

What do you do when you get into these situations?

Caring for Yourself

It's been a while, as I've been experiencing a bit of writer's block.  There just hasn't been whole lot going on, nothing inspirational or neat resources I've found.  I think today I actually have something to share.  Please do not take this as judgement, just as thoughts I have had lately.

As I've mentioned before, I currently have a bit of an obsession with French things.  A lot of the books I have read seem to be a little bit more based in the fantasy of France, rather than reality (although, how do I know?  I've never been).  But, one thing I could take away from my reading adventures is the serious self-care French women seem to have.  How many times to we skip moisturizing because we just "don't have time" or chose to let the chipped nail polish stick around?  I am not advocating being "overdone" but I do think it's important to make sure that a woman feels she can take time for herself to get ready in the morning.

In a time when people wander around in their pajamas, it almost seems as though we have lost a sense of

dignity.  We no longer choose to care for ourselves.  I am just as guilty of this as any other.  I spent many days in my sweatpants the first few years at college, usually due to a deep, dark depression.  Lack of care for me meant that I was undergoing a crisis, so I can no longer allow myself to go back otherwise I am admitting defeat once again.  I do not mean that everyone is depressed, nor that we should all be wandering around town in our best dresses on a daily basis.  I do however believe that taking the few extra minutes to apply that moisturizer or take that chipped nail polish off is worth the time.  When we look nice, we feel nice.

What do you do for your morning ritual?  What makes you feel "presentable"?

Those Whom Have Lost Their Common Courtesy

I would like to take a moment to stress the importance of common courtesy.  Today I had the joy *insert sarcastic tone here* of experiencing a few of the many who have clearly never been instructed in any area of politeness.

Please be sure to treat those who work in fields of customer service with the decency you would expect to be treated with.  There is a difference between service and servant.  Just because we have to keep quiet due to the desire to keep a job does not mean we get to be your verbal punching bag.

If you happen to need lessons on proper public etiquette, eHow can teach you.

New Life--To The Apartment

Yesterday I was informed that I will be taking two classes this summer.  I have no choice.  Six weeks of Biochemistry for two hours Monday through Friday.  On the bright side, it's only six weeks, I won't have to take a 7:30am class for the Fall semester and I get to take Buddhism online.  There is always a silver lining.

I love redecorating.  It's like getting a new hair cut or new clothes, except for your entire home.  It gives you a sense of rebirth, a time to renew your place of comfort.  Currently I am considering a new look for our new apartment.  While the one I live in is full of black furniture with red, I'm thinking to change to a white and blue theme.  I need a brighter home.  And it will probably look better with the wood paneling and wood floors.

                                                        http://www.seasonsforallathome.com

This look is a bit more vintage

                                                  http://8rd.org

But this look is so clean and modern. 

The only issue is my bedroom kind of looks the same.  Perhaps if I added red accents?  

                                                        http://www.seasonsforallathome.com

Never would I guess that I would live in such a patriotic home.

Regression

I've suddenly found myself making more and more changes towards a frugal, green lifestyle.  I feel like I've gotten to a point where I'm "regressing" due to my current lifestyle change--doing my laundry in the bathtub.

As I mentioned recently, I made my own detergent a few days ago and I bought an indoor drying rack since it's been a very wet Spring.  When I couldn't find any quarters to do a load of laundry, I decided to take a page out of No Impact Man's book and toss the clothes in the tub.  Using 2-3 inches of cold water with a 1/4 cup of detergent I letting the clothes soak and then stomp around with my bare feet in the water to agitate the laundry.  So far I've done two loads, saving $5 already.  And by not using warm water or a dryer, I have made laundry an entirely electricity free chore (not to mention the extra exercise I get).  I'm hoping to get a hold of a washboard to help scrub out the dirt from my socks.

What are you doing to "regress"?

Meet Me On Monday

Wow, it's Monday again.  I know I say that every week, but it always seems so unbelievable.  I'm so looking forward to the summer when things aren't keeping  me so busy that I'm always a crazy person trying to find things to do for the week. 


Here's Meet Me on Monday from Never Growing Old!


1.  Caesar Salad or Garden Salad?
2.  Will you be watching the Royal Wedding on April 29th?
3.  Last thing you spent lots of money on?
4.  Window seat or aisle seat?
5.  Do you know your blood type?

Hurts

Those who say they never regret anything they ever did are lying.

I do regret.  I have made so many mistakes, walked away from so many opportunities, ruined so many relationships.  It pains me to watch those whom I have affected continue on, even though I have been walking by for years.  So many hurts I wish I could take away.

What do we do?  How do we repair the injuries, the mistakes we've made in years past?

Follow Friday Four Fill-In

Happy Friday!  So far it's been a good one, despite the chilly rainy weather.  I'm looking forward to the weekend but still trying to enjoy today.
Here is the Follow Friday Fill-In from Feeling Beachie
This week’s statements


1. Despite the fact that I should know better, I still always _______________

2. I _____ when I am worried

3. I always forget__________

4. ___________________is the best!

Decoupage it all!

As I mentioned yesterday, school is becoming rather hectic.  But not so busy that I won't include some decoupage into my day!  I decided to add pretty vintage labels from The Graphics Fairy to every single body and face care product I have on my bathroom counter--including the Seventh Generation disinfecting wipes!

It's probably the girliest looking bathroom I have ever had, but I adore it.

On top of that, I made a whole bunch of headbands!  The one below is my absolute favorite.  You can see the rest on my Etsy shop

And last, but not least, laundry detergent!  We've been running out of our current laundry soap so I decided it was time to make a batch myself instead of purchasing some from the co-op.  In comparison to the $10-$15 I spend on pre-made detergent, I spent roughly $1-$2 on 4 gallons which should last us several months.  I remember my family making it a lot when I was growing up, and funny enough it's the same recipe the Duggar Family uses.  Here is the recipe!

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

4  Cups - hot tap water
1  Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm and Hammer Washing Soda
½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and allow to cool.

I suggest you add 15-20 drops of essential oil to your detergent if you want a fragrance other than the Fels Naptha bar.

-If you want a heavy duty detergent, use the soap as it is.  If you want to spread it out over a longer period of time and it works for you, dilute it using half the detergent to half water.

-Use 1/4 cup per load.

Moving on

With the realization that school will be over in less than a month comes the other realization that there isn't much time to bump up the grades.  There is also little time to study for the many tests and projects I have due within the next three weeks, before all my finals.  How in the world have I managed to skate through this semester?  It seems impossible that I'm actually passing my classes with pretty darn good grades.

And now for the exciting news--I am moving next month!  Out of my little hobbit hole and into a beautiful apartment right next door to my own.  This way I will actually get a dining room table and a real bedroom with a door.  I cannot contain my excitement!  I am already thinking of new decorating I could do with my house. Perhaps I will finally get a slipcover for my couch so it actually matches the rest of the decor.  I wish I could paint...

I've spent a great deal of time watching "Brothers & Sisters" the last few weeks.  I love it for the many reasons I enjoy other dysfunctional-but-loving-family shows.  It reminds me of my own.  We gossip, can't keep a secret and don't get along sometimes.  But that has never stopped us from loving one another (sorry to throw the cheesy sap in).  It's also nice to see how much worse it could be ;-P.  Even Olivia agrees, there are definite similarities between the family on the show and our own family.  The only difference is not even half of us are "grown ups" yet.  It should be interesting to see where we are when we actually do get that old.

Enjoy your Tuesday!