making pies!

Oooh the shenanigans Anna Amilia and I had whilst in Walt Disney World

days like today I really miss Anna and her... quirky little quirks.

also, for a good laugh check out the sheer terror caused by
DINOSAUR
aka the most scary terrifying ride I have ever encountered!

night out

with a slightly crazy life right now, a much needed girls night was in order.  the spontaneous kind. my favorite kind.  we all met up and had way too many laughs over hot chocolate and hot baked ice-cream-covered cookies!  it was delightful to say the least!  Thanks ladies!

also, i'm trying this new thing where I document a little bit more with pictures.. we'll see how long this lasts!

so this one time I went and bought a ukulele

I just wanted to learn how to play some songs, okay?

and actually, for someone who cannot for the life of them read music, the ukulele is perfect.
chords are so easy to learn!

I know{ish} 5 songs! Already! I've only had it for a little more than a week!


want proof?

watch this:
{but please don't judge.  i am a BEGINNER, after all.}

hey you.. kuh-lay-lee?

umm. so i watched this video:



and now i have this insane desire to learn to play the ukulele.
and sing a duet with joseph gordon-leavitt.

that is all. 

i shall keep you updated on my pursuits to learn.  and sing with JG-L.

art card!

Heya!

You guys should go on over to

no two fish are alike

she featured an art card I sent her awhile back!
i'm obsessed with watercolor and the color scheme i used.
so much fun!

yay for creating artwork and sending it to friends!

if you would like to send her an art card, go HERE for more info!!

tinsel 'round his neck

 sometimes my friends show up on my porch singing Santa Baby wearing ...festive clothing.

and sometimes they run away when I break out my camera

 but they always run right back.

 some are more willing to have their picture taken than others..

looking good, boys!

just a thought: wealthy words.

Someday, when I'm wealthy I will use fancy words.

heck. when I'm not wealthy I will use fancy words.

today.

instead of saying Dave's house, i would say the Bowie estate.

or the word

ravishing

sounds pretty fancy to me.

and to use it in a sentence;

what a ravishing estate you dwell in...

my time managment attempt.

i am a woman of lists.  i make lists for e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.  goals. daily to-do's. homework assignments to complete. people to write letters to. places i want to go. things i need to buy. wishlists. you name it, i've got a list for it!
well, for now i'm talking specifically about to-do lists.  and sometimes these lists get a little out of control and overwhelming.  especially around finals week when the list seems to be never-ending.  i've tried planners to organize my time, reminders on my phone... and even though i'm a list/organization maniac, when it's all written out I tend to do nothing because it's so overwhelming.
this is what i discovered works for me!  If you are a procrastinator and list-writer like me, maybe you'll like this little tip that actually works.  I write my to do list for the week, but for each day, I write a top 3 priority list to get done for that day. (or if i'm really ambitious, a top 5).

for example:

Weekly:

1. 2D design assignment

2. Write Anna an email.

3. Grade 100 papers

4. Clean room

5. Clean Bathroom

6. Do laundry

7. Sculpture homework

8. Essay for lecture class

etc. etc.

Today:

1. Start 2D assignment:  Make 30 thumbnails

2. Write Anna an email

3. Grade 40 papers.

then obviously the next day some things carry over, and the list adjusts as I go.

Weekly:

1. 2D design assignment Scribble/paint and cut out squares/rectangles.

2. Write Anna an email.

3. Grade 100 60 papers

4. Clean room

5. Clean Bathroom

6. Do laundry

7. Sculpture homework

8. Essay for lecture class

  I have to be realistic about what I can get done that day and often get done with a lot more than I thought I would!  My reward is when i'm done with my list i can blog, be on pinterest, watch Modern Family, hang out with friends or whatever I want.  Seems super easy and really lazy right?  It's brilliant I tell you!  Mostly because something amazing started to happen.  Like I said, once I was done with my top 3 priorities for the day, I started to get even more done and had more free time by the end of the week which is a miracle for me!

Let me know if you try it, if this works for you or if you have other suggestions.  Feel free to share!!

lazy laundry

remember my never-ending laundry pile that i despise?  i hate laundry so much that i have literally worn every article of clothing i own to avoid having to wash clothes until the very last minute.  thankfully today is Sunday, so i get to wear a dress and put off laundry one more day..
although i probably should do that today... or not.

nothing can change this love!

how cute is this song?!  i mean seriously.  i can't get enough of it! 

my imaginitive effort

I'll bet many are thinking this is going to be a fashion blog when they first see [the old title], fashionista{in training}.  And, well, once upon a time it may have turned into one.  

After getting most of my generals done, I still didn't know what I wanted to do with my schooling career.  I took a semester off to consider everything.  I remember coming home from taking my final in Biology just sobbing.  I hated school.  I didn't know what I wanted to do but I wanted to get out of what I was doing.  I contemplated everything.  Social Work. Hair School. Elementary Education. Nail Tech. Not going to school at all. Travel Agent. Real Estate. Everything that wasn't me. I had considered and was always interested in Fashion Design but didn't want to make any big move to California or New York(no fashion schools in Utah at the time).  I didn't want to spend a boat load of money and I was far too scared to be out on my own quite yet.  So, I took a break.  I didn't know what I wanted and didn't see any sense in wasting my time or money doing something I didn't love.  I got letters from Aunts and Uncles about the importance of education and how dropping out wasn't the answer(which offended me and made me not want to do school even more... I'm really stubborn that way), even though I wasn't really planning to be completely done done.  

After taking a year off from any kind of school, a dear friend told me about a fashion program she was enrolled in locally in Salt Lake.  Brilliant!  Immediately(after talking it over with my mom) I applied, was accepted, and over the course of the next four semesters I was enrolled in fashion school; studying fashion illustration, pattern making, sewing, fashion history, and textiles.  I was making lots of new friends and actually enjoyed my classes; something I hadn't experienced in a long time.  I had it all planned out:  I was going to finish my Fashion degree and move somewhere glamorous like New York City to pursue a bachelor degree in Bridal Fashion.  I couldn't wait.  In the midst of all of that, I also started a new blog.  Hence the title:  fashionista{in training} (because I was going to fashion school.  so clever, i know...)  Of course, life has a really awesome way of working out according to plan.

My last semester of Fashion school, Fall 2010, I just knew I was in the wrong place.  I have always gone with my gut feelings and knew that if I wanted to go far in life, fashion was not where I needed to be.  I went through some of the same feelings I had before with uncertainty, trying to come up with new life careers, and frankly, feeling like a failure.  Something needed to change soon. 

Then, that same semester on Thanksgiving, my family went to see a movie as is tradition.  The movie was Tangled.  [I know I go on and on about how much I adore the film.  {here is my first post about that} And now you'll know why!]  During I See the Light, I cried.  Cried!  Okay, a lot of movies made me cry, but this one made me cry because A. it was super cute. B. she was realizing her dream of seeing the lights and C. I knew at that moment I wanted to create again.  I wanted to be a part of something big.  And it wasn't until I saw the movie that it really clicked for me.  I went home and immediately looked up on the Disney Animation site the concept art, and qualifications/degrees/experience needed to become an artist for Disney.  

I knew I needed to go back and finish what I had started pre-fashion school.  

That week, I went down to the University.  I talked to a counselor about what my options were and before I knew it I was enrolled in Art classes for the next semester.  Everything just seemed to fall into place.  I know it was where I needed to be at the time.  I am so grateful for the experiences and life lessons I learned while going to fashion school.  I know everything happens for a reason.  I don't quite know yet why my school life had to take a small detour, but I do know I am where I am supposed to be now because everything keeps falling perfectly into place {good indicator, yeah?}.  I still don't know exactly what I want to do with my BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts), but I do know I will be creating.  Which is something I am completely passionate about. 

so in this process of trying to come up with an updated more relevant blog title, I knew it had to incorporate creativity.  Literally. 

dictionary.com is brilliant.  So for ideas one day, I decided to look up the definition.

cre·ate  (kr-t)tr.v. cre·at·ed, cre·at·ing, cre·ates

1. To cause to exist; bring into being. See Synonyms at found¹.

2. To give rise to; produce: That remark created a stir.

3. To invest with an office or title; appoint.

4. To produce through artistic or imaginative effort

imaginitive effort.  of course!  those words spoke to me.  

so now, I am introducing to you 

my imaginative effort

this is who I am, and this is my journey to create and put forth my imaginative effort.

 

watch this video to be inspired to be creative yourself!  

happy creating!

{ ENGAGED peeps! }

remember my dear blogging friend Jalene?

well, she is a most fabulous photographer.

{she photographed Anna and I 

and also our Family Fotos!}

check her out at j. taylor photography

***

well.

I have fantastic news! 

She is hosting a contest on her photo site.

for FREE WEDDING DAY COVERAGE.

FREE, people!

(valued at $1200!)

So. If any of you lovely readers are engaged or know of anyone who is engaged, 

I would HIGHLY recommend checking this out!!! 

I didn't think I would say this any time soon, but I sooo wish I were engaged right now so I would be eligible to enter.  

Like, even if you happen not to win, you should hire her as your photographer anyway.  Her beautiful photos speak for themselves.  I have told her on many occasions that I will be hiring her for my future wedding day.  She is so wonderful to work with!  I cannot say enough wonderful things about Jalene.

so what are you waiting for! Go! Enter!

gah.

this is so adorable.
and true.
good men are dang attractive.
good men who want to be good, loving fathers
are even more attractive.

songs i am in love with right about now:

the fast food place

sometimes at my lil fast food place of employment it gets very slow.

so we have to get a little creative in ways to entertain ourselves

to pass the time.

once upon one of those times{two years ago}, we got to talking about a common favorite tv show, the office.

perhaps you've heard of it

we decided that so many hilarious things happen at work, that our workplace would be the perfect setting for a television show like that.

so what did we do?

that's right. 

we came up with our cast list. which i just found after 2 years! i can't believe i kept it, but so glad i did!!

for those of you who work/have worked there {i know there are quite a few of you}

you will appreciate this post. !

Greg: Steve Carell (naturally)
Owner: Dick Van Dyke
Owner's Wife: Prof. McGonnagol
Marge: (oh, Marge): Betty White/Professor Sprout  {we like HP, okay!?}
Jared: Matthew Perry
Anna: Amanda Bynes
Lindsey: Megan Fox
Easton: Michael Cera
Kalin: Corbin Bleu
Megan: Emma Watson
Me: Amy Adams/Courtney Cox
Lil Nicole: the friend on Princess Diaries/ Miley Cyrus
Keren: Sam from iCarly/ Selena Gomez
Jenny: Taylor Swift
Chelsea: Kristen Chenoweth
Kiley: Drew Barrymore/ Phoebe from Friends
Leslie: Dakota Fanning
Robert: Spencer from iCarly
Sophie: Alexis Bledel
Natalie: Jennifer Anniston
Kristen: Natalie Portman

with guest appearences by

Ryan C: Neville Longbottom
Chandler: Kanye West/ Lil Wayne
Kati: The girl from The Village (now I know her as Bryce Dallas Howard)
Justin A: Adam Brody
Justin C: Ryan Reynolds
Cheeseburger/mexi/small coke lady: Cloris Leachman
Von: The guy from Rat Race
Melissa: Claire Dunfy (a nicer version)
MB Burrito w/ nacho cheese kid: Joe Jonas
Jeff "the phone in guy": Adrian Brody
Todd: Leonardo DiCaprio
Amanda R: Britney Spears
Taylor H: 11yr. old Daniel Radcliffe
Kelsi: Beyonce
Ben: David Schwimmer
and
Heather: Pam from the Office.


there you have it! 

good times.

ruby woo!

i bought 

this lipstick 

recommended by

this lady

and because of 

this article 

i found 

via googling

best red lipstick ever

and voila

i love it. 

like, love.

really missing my sister today, y'all.

such a sad face.  hopefully the sad goes away soon and the happy starts to dominate.  i hate this feeling of sadness i've been feeling in this rut! sheesh.

my NYR 2012