An outfit post full of realizations...

I realized...

• I love my new camera.
• My nose crinkles and my eyes disappear when I laugh really hard.
• I have never made an item for myself since we opened our Etsy store. This headband is my new favorite. Get yours here.
• Tessa can make me laugh unlike anyone else.
• A skinny belt makes every outfit better.
• I am beyond happy that I started going to estate sales... where I purchased this awesome turquoise ring.
• Brown is my favorite color for accessories... purse, flats, belts, anything.
• I like doing outfit posts and more might be coming.

Some bright clothes to brighten your Monday.

With clothes I always thought it was either comfort or style. I have proven with this outfit that you can have both! I kid you not when I say this was the most comfortable and stylish outfit I have put together... and I love it. I am not a fan of mixing patterns, but I felt like these worked together and adding a belt makes everything better, right? This skirt is my favorite and not only because I didn't have to pay for it (Thanks Kristiana!) but because it makes me feel dressed up and comfortable at the same time.

And thanks Tim for taking my outfit pictures. You're the best even though when I ask you to tell me how to pose you say "Flap your arms like a chicken." I love you for this and I think the reason you love me is because I did it. (I saved you all from that picture. You're welcome.)

I wish...

I wish we loved ourselves more.

I wish we didn't focus on the negatives.

I wish we said more, "I love my ______."

I wish we embraced our physical imperfections.

I wish we didn't wish to have someone else's body.

I wish we took a picture of ourselves once in a while and said I look goooooooood.

Some inspiration.

I have never been a big shoe fan. It's not that I didn't like shoes, I just didn't care much about them. Lately though, I have been thinking about shoes much more. {I have NO idea why.} I have decided when I reach my goal weight I will reward myself with some cute shoes. These made me drool a little bit. 

Here's to the new lifestyle of eating right and exercising. I will be buying these shoes within no time!

There's nothing wrong with dancing in the rain.

(There might be something wrong with excitedly arriving at your sister's apartment and asking her to take pictures of you dancing in the rain, but that's another story.)
The weather in California has been a bit crazy lately. I can't remember the last time it rained for five days straight. But, I happen to be a HUGE fan on rain. I really wish it rained more here. Tessa and I were looking at how green everything becomes, and everything looks so beautiful after the rain.
I also find the rain to be incredibly inspiring. I feel like some of my best ideas have come in the rain.

{Plus, who doesn't like a free car wash? It might be my favorite part.}

Prepare to melt from all this cuteness.

A few months ago I was contacted by a really sweet customer asking if I could make wrist warmers for her 1 year old daughter. I wrote back a very optimistic email, telling her that I would try, but the thoughts in my head were a little different. How was I going to do this? I have never tried to make wrist warmers for such a tiny person. Yet, I promised to try, and try I did. 

I did the best I could, sent them off, and hoped she liked them. She sent me back these pictures of her girl, Logan. I nearly died from all the cuteness. Pretty sure 80% of the cuteness was from her adorrrrrable daughter, and only 20% my wrist warmers, but still. What a great model, yes? 

Sometimes it pays off to try new things. 

Love.

Brothers and Sisters is one of my favorite shows. I have successfully gotten Bethany into the show too, so I started from the beginning with her. We watched the episode when all five siblings find out their mother knew their father had a long term affair. Later when Kitty is talking to her mother Nora she says, "But you know dad loved you, right?" To which Nora replies, "Yes, but he never gave up anything to do it. What kind of love is that?"

It made me think of my love for Christ. I say that I love Him, yet what have I given up to do so? Have I given up my sins? The things that I do that disappoint him? No. What kind of love do I have for him that I am not willing to give these things up to better my life and make my love more real? I have had such a selfish love in the past. The kind of love that I would give when it suited me and never when it was hard or uncomfortable. I feel wrong about this now. This is not the kind of love that Christ desires.

Things are changing. I desire more.

Plath.

"It is as if both of us, wary of oysters so rich and potent and at once digestively dangerous as they are, should agree to each swallow an oyster (our prospective mate) tied to a string (our reserve about committing ourselves.) Then, if either or both of us found the oyster disagreeing with our respective digestive systems, we could yank up the oyster before it was too late, and completely assimilated in all its destructive portent (with marriage.) Sure, there might be a little nausea, a little regret, but the poisoning, corrosive, final, destructive, would not have had a chance to set in." -- Sylvia Plath

I love Sylvia, I love her mind, and I love this quote.

But if I ever decide to get married, there will be no oyster, no string, no regret.

Inspiration.

Recently, I found myself truly inspired for the first time in years. A good friend of mine (who also happens to be the sister of my boyfriend) encouraged me to continue making scarves AND selling them online. She pointed me to an online website where people sign up to sell their handmade items. I feel like I have been making scarves like crazy! In December, I am doing a craft fair at Zion Lutheran Church, and I can't be more excited. I have 14 scarves already, but my goal is 60. For the ones that I do not sell at the craft fair, I am going to put on my online page and sell them there. Here are some pictures I took to model the scarves:




Opinions? Preferences?

Mine.

I seriously wish I could sit at home all day and crochet and knit.
I find myself sitting in class writing down new patterns I can experiment with, and then I completely shut off the teacher and I'm totally focused on my drawings.
I get so excited to come home and pick up a needle and make something.
That probably seems so weird to other people, but it's my passion.

I can say now that I have found my passion.