the obligatory birthday post

today i turn 27.  so, here is 27 things about me at age 27.

read about me at 25 here. and 24 here.

this is the only [iPhone] picture I had of me wearing makeup (no eyebrow pencil, though).  That tells you how often I wear it ;)

1.  I have wrinkles.  The smiling kind by my eyes.  And I kind of love them.  Is that weird?
2.  I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.  I'd like to think that as I keep growing and changing my goals and dreams do too.  And even if it does get discouraging, it's kind of exciting to chase after new dreams.
3.  My little brother will have been gone on his mission 8 months as of this Sunday!  I can't believe it.  Time is flying and yet taking FOREVER at the same time.  I just want him home so we can party!
4.  I would love to just spend a summer at a cabin in the mountains or out on a farm without any plans or things to worry about.  Like in the movies when life just seems to hold still for the summer..?... you know?  I want to do that.
5.  I am in love with weddings.  And planning weddings.  It's way too much fun.  And a lot of work.  But so worth it!
6.  I am hoping I get this for my birthday. (hint, hint, husband!)
7.  Chase and I teach the 4 year olds in primary.  They are seriously cute, and melt my heart with their sweet prayers.  "...please bless that Jesus can come out of the clouds and make it 'wain'..."
8.  One of my favorite ways to waste time is looking at Realtor.com, and Skyscanner.com.  I am constantly looking for homes in all places around the US (comparing housing prices, different styles of homes/yards..etc.), and I love looking at flights to different places. . Someone will mention where they're headed on vacation and I'm like... Ohh, flights are around $____, right??  (I'm full of so much useful information......)
9.  I am hooked on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.  Hooked!  His laugh kills me and he always brings a smile to my face. Watch this.  It's one of my favorites.  This is really good, too!
10.  Top 3 most visited websites (on a daily basis) realsimple.com, pinterest.com, and Disneyland.com (i'm obsessed! which brings me to #11)
11.  I am in love with all things Disney.  Especially Disney Parks.  I'm still kicking myself for not going to DL Paris when I was soooo close.  Also, I am trying to figure out a way to make money off my Disneyland obsession. :)
12.  My hair is the longest it has ever been and I don't think I will ever part with it.  It's so easy throw in a ponytail which is how I wear it 99% of the time. 
13.  My daily makeup includes moisturizer, blush, and eyebrow pencil.  WHY did I not discover the eyebrow pencil until this year?  Best thing ever for my baldy/fine eyebrows.
14.  It's a good thing I chose to marry Chase because I never get sick of hanging out with that boy.  He's kind of my favorite.
15.  I would love to go back to the Cinque Terre, eat some pesto lasagna(I still crave it 2 years later), and sit on the beach the rest of the day.
16.  The next thing I want to try is Interior Design.  Current favorite hobbies are watercolor painting, and calligraphy.
17.  My favorite flowers are ranunculus and garden roses. OH, and maidenhair fern.  I love it.
18.  One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone buys a fancy camera and then all of a sudden they are a professional photographer....that's all I'll say about that. :)
19.  It is amazing how a little bit of makeup will boost my confidence about 10x.  I'm telling you.  Eyebrow Pencil.  (Especially now that I'm getting "old"... I think I'm looking older these days.  I've been stuck at about 22 years old for awhile and lately I think I look older... ?) 
20.  I still love Diet Coke.  Lately I've been putting either lime or toasted marshmallow flavoring in it (Thanks, Kate!).  It sounds gross but it is soo delicious. 
21.  My favorite rides at Disneyland are Space Mountain and Radiator Springs Racers.  Can't get enough. 
22.  I think about going to the movies and my heart starts pounding and I have cried a time or two.  Some people are afraid of flying or heights,  Nie is afraid of clusters, I am afraid of movie theaters.  
23.  Someday I would love to own an art/floral studio (preferably a big barn-type building with lots of windows in my back yard) and just host a ton of workshops and classes.  I think that would be so much fun! 
24.  I still frequent Taco Amigo on a frighteningly regular basis.  You have GOT to try their Fresh Peach Shakes in late August-September.  They are so. good. You're welcome! 
25.  I recently had the opportunity to design some wedding announcements and now I want to put some more in my etsy shop (Hopefully I will have that up and running soon... stay tuned.  Lots of pretty things in the works!)
26.  I got to design some stamp sets for Close To My Heart (my day job).  Can't wait to show you all that fun stuff when the new catalog is released in August! #ClosetOMyHeart
27.  (it's really hard to think of 27 things about me...).  I have the entire Frozen soundtrack memorized.  I loove that movie (yes, saw it in theaters opening week despite my fear..).  I may be 27, but I get excited about things like I am 10. 

Until next year! ;

Featured Fine Art Print

I am always excited when photographers reach out to me who want to collaborate. 

Usually it is for flowers.  LeeYen emailed me and wanted me to do flowers and a print for one shoot, and asked me if I would provide a print for this indie shoot.

I was so very flattered that she would trust me with that project!

I am very new at the whole hand-lettering thing, and still have a lot (a lot) to learn, but I am just thrilled it had a small role in her gorgeous shoot that was featured over at Rock N Roll Bride. 

 

I want to continue to pursue this hobby.  It was way too much fun!

 

Anyway, enjoy these gorgeous images by LeeYen

 

Featured at Rock N Roll Bride

 

Photography | Loblee Photography

Bride's Dress | Maggie Sottero via Gateway Bridal

Bride's Headpiece | Danani Handmade Sdornments

Hair & Make Up | Victoria Plant Makeup Artistry

Styling | Dani Hagemeister

Flowers | The Flower Calendar

Cake | Chantilly Patisserie

Stationery | Whimsical Prints and Paper Gifts

Print | Erin Nielson

 

 

 

 

sketch > finished piece. say what?

Sometimes I really do make finished pieces of art!  It's a RARE occasion lately!  It is one of my 2014 goals to make more finished pieces of art, though... 

Here is the process for this little guy:

^^^Here's the scan of my sketch

^^^after I touched it up in Photoshop

^^^And then I decided to do something completely different with it.  I just added in some watercolor flowers I already had on the computer.  I'll probably go back and revisit the original at some point because I like where that was going.  In the meantime, I totally used the PenTool in Illustrator and it was amazing.  What what!  The whole time I wanted to yell like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone, "I'm not afraid anymore! Do you hear me!??  I'm not afraid!!!"  Okay, so... The Pen tool scares me a little bit still, and obviously I have a looong way to go.  But that's okay! Practice makes perfect, right? 

:)

a little peek.

here's a little peek at a shoot I did the flowers for back in October.  

You can head over to my floral website to see more images and get links to all the vendors!  :)

awkward family photos: wedding edition

Okay so this post is a year late.  Enjoy it either way!  I just found these pictures on my mom's computer and I was crying laughing so hard!  I didn't remember most of this stuff.  :)

I also have no clue who took these pictures.  I'm assuming my little brother did.  He has a way of taking pictures without anyone knowing! 

Rudy aka my dad's favorite child trying out a photo booth prop^^^

^^^Maya's turn.  I call her 'Dobby the house dog'... don't her ears look like they could belong to a house elf?.... 

^^^aaaand grandma's turn... haha.

flower madness^^^  About 15 minutes after this picture was taken, Chase walked in with flowers for me (While I was holding my bouquet).  He held them behind his back while I raved and raved about my flowers and then he pulled out the little bunch of dyed carnations....  I felt terrible.  But I loved them. I just love him so much.  He's so thoughtful.  :)

^^^I didn't end up using the dahlia.  It was too purple.  But look how pretty it is anyway.  And that Stock?  I'm dying. 

all of my favorites were incorporated in my bouquet.  I am still swooning over this bad boy^^

^^^centerpieces

^^^who knows what's happening here.... Chase is a goofball! 

^^^Trying to give directions to his mother.. :)  Our breakfast was at the beautiful Gardens at Dry Creek in Lehi.  Suzie is amazing!

^^^My turn to give directions!  Chase is ready for the day to be over... Hahah!  

^^^Me 'n' ma best girl friendssss!  (said like the mom on Mean Girls... :)

Married! 

^^^My aunt is so cute.  Here she is insisting she get in some pictures of my ring on the bouquet while the photographers/videographers are trying to get in on this......little moments I want to remember :)

^^^ My Mom and Jordan Makin sharing some laughs. 

^^^You can see it in his eyes.  He is scheming..... 

That's when I went in for the kiss and he LICKED my face.  Thanks for that, Husband! 

^^This was the "Chase's Immediate family" picture.... the guy on the far right looks a little out of place, though, doesn't he?  Oh, don't worry.  I have no idea who he is.  I think he's a cousin or something... he's also in all the professional immediate family photos.  And nobody had the heart to say anything!  HAHA.  I'm dying!!! 

So glad my cute cousin Rachel and her husband were able to come!  I'm going to share a sweet story about Rachel soon.  :)

Thanks for tuning in!  

burnt hair + a solution

So, around 2 or so months ago, my blow dryer smelled funny.  (first red flag)  I thought I shouldn't use it but decided to anyway, and that I would replace it that weekend.  (bad idea!)

I used the blow dryer like normal.. (I usually only blow dry my bangs/part in place so that it doesn't go crazy while the rest air dries.)

^^^just a few days before 'the accident' :)

A few hours later, I ran my fingers through my bang area to put some hair behind my ears when I realized my hair felt a little funny.  I didn't think anything of it until the NEXT DAY when my hair still felt funny.  I thought maybe I got too much hairspray in one part... nope.  I went and looked in the mirror to investigate.  Sure enough, my hair was BURNED.  It seriously felt like a ton of hair wadded up into a little ratted nest.  It's horrible.  And it's right on the top of my head.  No hiding it, and no cutting it off unless I wanted an ultra short pixie!

I immediately went to Sally's (after throwing away my blow dryer), and bought a new blow dryer.  I also bought a new heat protector spray, coconut oil, Moroccan oil spray, and a deep conditioner treatment.  I was religious about putting coconut oil in my hair every night before bed, spraying my hair with Moroccan oil, not using my blow dryer (and when I did, only using the COOL setting) ....And you know what?  It worked okay, but nothing was making my hair feel even remotely normal again.

BUT for Christmas, I got some Marrakesh Leave-In Conditioner and it is A.MA.ZING.  Seriously.  My hair still feels burned, but not QUITE as burned feeling.  I just spray that in my damp hair, and let it for the most part air dry, and then use my cool setting to blow dry... my hair feels almost normal!  It's a big deal, guys.  Plus it makes the rest of my hair feel amazing and super-soft.  I love it!

NYR 2014

Chase and I started a tradition after we got married.  We have a little breakfast in bed, and make our goal list for each of us individually, and goals we want to accomplish together.  His are more goals, mine are kind of more bucket list items.

His:

Get straight A's (he will have no problem with that.  He's only ever had one B and it was his high school credit that transferred over... makes me sick!  my motto is C's get degrees! ;)

Get a Scholarship

Be Healthy. (aka, Big Muscles)

Run a 5k with Erin  (I learned yesterday that he was in track in high school?  What? I had no idea!)


Mine:

Be Healthy & take better care of myself.  This one is a daily struggle, but I'm working on it!

Design & Sew a dress for myself.  This one has been on my bucket list forrrevvverrr and this year I will finally do it!

Design a completed paper kit to submit.

Open an Etsy Shop

Run a 5k.  This is partly to motivate me to exercise and train.  I can barely run one lap around the track.. Pathetic, I know!

Daily Personal Scripture STUDY not just reading.

Create more ART.  So far so good on that one.  I recently rediscovered my love of watercolor paints and I cannot put them down!  So far I've just been playing and haven't really made any 'finished' artwork, so that's the next step.. Create FINISHED art.  ;)

Stop worrying (this is a whole other story)

Together:

Travel!  We have a couple trips planned; one for sure to Disneyland, and tentatively one to Japan this summer.  Japan was never ever (still isn't) on my 'Places I must visit' list, but we might have the opportunity this year, so why not?  We will know in a few weeks if that is going to be a thing or not!  I'll let y'all know.

Weekly planned date nights & Monthly temple dates

Daily Family Prayer & Scriptures.  It's the small things that matter most, people!

...

I have always loved setting goals.  The new year brings new possibilities and opportunities to better ourselves.  I love it!  Happy happy new year, everyone!  I hope 2014 is filled with love, safety, adventures and so much happiness!