one down, one more to go

yes the truth is here that my second to last semester of college is now over...and let me tell you, i don't think i would have survived if it had lasted much longer. however, got a sneak peak of a few grades yesterday and it seems as though all my hard work paid off. i will be featuring, later, a few pics of my portfolio final piece as well as some of the graphics work i did this semester (since a lot of it was pretty rad)

but for now, as i sit in my warm bed with the cat, i will leave you with this awesome song. and promises to return with good posts in the future.


Fleet Foxes- White Winter Hymnal

fall weddings

like i've said before one of my favorite things to do in my spare time is check out wedding blogs. everyone is just so happy and the design of it all is intriguing to me.

a few links i've seen lately
check out these awesome pumpkin decorations
fun handmade elements
and even halloween wedding ideas!

a few weeks ago i attended a wedding of two friends of mine. it was fall themed, the ceremony held outside and reception in the furnished barn on the property. it was so wonderful, down to the glittery pumpkin table centerpieces, country line-dancing, and a fun photobooth (complete with homemade mustaches!) congrats frankie and kendra!

me and my wonderful date!

halloween surprises

fall is my favorite season, as is a lot of peoples. and why wouldn't it be?
the beginning of this season has been really busy, i had a little getaway weekend for a friend's wedding and then vacation for a week in florida on top of all the busy school and work schedule.

i did get to come home to a wonderful package from my mom :) my freshman year of college she sent me a halloween box filled with stuff to decorate my dorm and this year she decided to do the same thing. it made me so happy *and even more excited about the holiday! i am so lucky she is the best.

check out my goodies!

even the packaging is pretty :)

glittery girly halloween card
candy!ceramic bowls
baking supplies!
the best smelling candle. ever.

and trick or treat dishtowels.

:)

unexpected messages

i could pipe messages on cupcakes all day, everyday and be content.
this project is keeping me sane.

human nature

i have had so much i've wanted to post about lately and just no time in which to actually do it. i am trying really hard to balance all the elements in my life right now and i've been meaning to put this closer to the top of the list, even if they're just fun inspiration posts.

for now i'll leave you with this tidbit.

a piece by Sarah Gardner, found originally on design is mine: isn't it lovely.

goodbye summer

it was a great one, but i think you have officially left us in the dust now. i'll miss the ice cream runs, trips to the beach, and numerous stories of summer adventures. however, chilly weather has arrived, leading to apple picking, football games, pumpkin spice lattes, and busier weeks.

night swimming (photo taken by my very talented friend christine, visiting from cali a few weeks ago)

a letter a day.

just watched the most heartbreaking, yet wonderful video produced by Story Corps. i watched it on A CUP OF JO, one of my favorite blogs to read, this morning and felt it needed to be shared.

Danny & Annie from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

Danny and Annie were married for 27 years, this is their story.

Regina Spektor - Laughing With (Video)

these lyrics get me everytime.

jam session

i love to bake. cupcakes, cookies, bread but this year i'm attempting to break outside the baked good shell and experiment with a few other things.

my latest kitchen adventure was a learning experience with rhubarb jam! i checked out a few recipes and was determined to make at least one good jar of this spectacular stuff. my first attempt was a bit of a fail, having boiled it much too long and on too high a heat however, afterwards the second batch turned out great!

(burnt. and my smoke filled the basement to prove it)

the recipe was a combination of rhubarb, with a few raspberries thrown in, sugar, and some lemon zest.

fresh rhubarb from my friend evan's mom's garden

equal parts sugar and rhubarb get combined
the rhubarb gets coated in sugar and lemon juice to sit for a few hours
all the ingredients in the pot, brought to a boil and left to thicken
sterilizing and canning process, not as scary as i thought!

jam=success!

wedding love.

so this post is a bit delayed and as i get into the swing of school again. i promise i will start posting more art and design goodies because i'm sure i will be glued to my computer even more then ever this year!

if anyone knows much about me at all they know i am absolutely in love with weddings. last night i got the chance to see all of the photos from an awesome wedding i attended the day i came home from ireland. my two friends marie and jeremy got married and their photos are as wonderful as they are! such a fun couple that is just so in love and their photographer did some amazing work.
(check out his blog here)

congrats you two!

love.

summer fun

this is how i spent my sunday afternoon :)

slip n' sliding with the awesome people i work with complete with a plethora of good food and a few strawberry blonde ales. it was the perfect summer day and even though i'll miss this season when its over, i'm excited for the fall.

now im spending the rest of the evening with a new cookie recipe and movies with some of my favorite boys. (here's the recipe, i'll post pictures tomorrow if they turn out!)

ambitions

in the spirit of finally unpacking my new apartment. a list of a few ambitions for this upcoming year...

1. don't stress over things out of my control. (this is a big one!)
2. try not to lose/break all my technological items so often
3. take more photographs
3 1/2.^ that includes film! and get it developed!
4. learn to cook! i'm talking oodles and oodles of recipes. this website will probably become my best friend.
5. keep making more and more art every day.
6. share that art with friends.
7. cross one thing off the "101 small pleasures list" daily!
8. make rhubarb jam
9. start pen-paling with my host moms and my oregon friends.
10. save up for the ultimate summer roadtrip
11. enter at least one show.
12. do wonderful things with the AIGA group
13. get an internship
14. enjoy my last year as a college student! (it's been almost 4 years? really?)
...and the list goes on and on...


on a side note: i had breakfast with pat and my our joanne today, who spent the summer in china! we compared lovely stories of our abroad experiences and it was so nice to catch up. she also gave me this beautiful scarf which i absolutely adore! thanks jojo you're the best.


i'm off to get some work done. then later drinks and appetizers with pat's parents who are visiting for the weekend! have a great saturday night everyone.

pomplamoose

i have to thank my roommate pat for introducing me to this duet. i love their covers and today they're getting me through my to-do list and finally unpacking the rest of my apartment!

ps. i'm sorry for not posting much lately, i have been crazy busy working every day. i promise to bring you a few more goodies soon!

dresses and boots

i love creative wedding outfits. especially brides with the same boots as me.

photos like this are just so wonderful.
http://whimsicalwonderlandweddings.blogspot.com/2010/08/red-purple-cowboy-boots-wedding-in.html

michigan love

loving on my state (or any other state for that matter!) with these adorable pillows!
i saw them on one of my favorite blogs today poppytalk and now i can't stop looking through all of love, california's etsy products.

check out her other stuff here!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/lovecalifornia?ref=top_trail

its the 13th.

happy 23rd birthday boyfriend.i hope you get everything you wished for.

something corporate

i get to see these boys tonight. their first tour in years! cannot wait, this picture used to plaster my computer background haha.

ps. if they play this song i will freak out.

goodbye ireland

for those who say we never take pics in the classroom during study abroad ;)

at long last, 5 weeks later it was time for us "studious americans" to say goodbye to the country we loved. it was an amazing trip, filled with insightful movies, lots of history and mythology lessons, field trips, sight-seeing, weekend tours, and so much more. we learned together, learned from each other, and from the country we called home this past month. i can truly say this was one of the best experiences of my life. between the busyness of the city and the magical countryside, i would go back in a heartbeat. so as our journey came to a close we parted ways for the last time.

we had drinks on the pier for the last time.

we had our last big night out.

we danced in the middle of the street.we ate mystery candy.



we sang, we laughed, we cried.
for some of the best people i have ever met, you will always have a place in my heart.

we embraced a few group hugs.

we shared our last walk home.and around 5 am i walked to the bus stop for the last time.
goodbye foxrock bridge. goodbye dun laoghaire.
goodbye ireland, i will never forget you.

kilmainham gaol

our final excursion as one big class was a visit to the Kilmainham Gaol, an old prison used to house over the years a number of theives during the great potato famine and later the main prison for those who took part in war for independence. this included all of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. fifteen were executed between may 3rd and may 12th. we got to see the majority of their holding cells while they spent time here.

the entire experience was very eerie. it was very cold and dark and you can just imagine the conditions both men, women, and children would have had to face while in here. i got such a vibe, especially out in the courtyard where you stood right where all of the leaders were shot and killed. these men died for the independence of their country and it is so crazy to me that their is still fighting, for the same reason these men fought so many years ago, going on today in northern ireland.

front entrance, used to be used as a courtyard for public hangings.

catholic chapel (there was a protestant one upstairs as well)

hole used to pass through food or odd job items to keep the prisoners busy.
inside a typical cell.
inside the main corridors.
Eamon D. Valera's cell. one of the few leaders of the rebellion that was not sentenced to death. he later became the first president of the new Republic of Ireland.
commemorating the leaders and the days they were killed.
the spot the leaders were executed.


inside the museum:
cartoons the prisoners drew.

"Its said for me, loved wife, my life is remembered by yours now darling. I am drawing nearer and nearer to god. that good god who died for us, you and I love, and our children, and our children's children. God and his beloved mother again and again. Bless and protect you oh Saviour of mine. If my dear ones could die and enter heaven with me how blessed and happy I would they would be away from the cares and trials of the world. Now, my little one, be a nun. and Joseph my little man, be a priest. If you can James and John to you the care of your mother, make yourselves good strong men for her sake and remember Ireland. Good bye my wife, my darling. Remember me, God again bless and protect yours and our children. I must now prepare the last few hours must be spent with God alone. Your loving husband, Michael Mallin Commander-Stephens Green Command."

inside the museum we got to see many different displays filled with a number of letters and items of the prisoners themselves. one of the leaders, michael mallin, wrote this, his last letter to his wife and children. of all of the things i saw that day this touched me the most, i have never read a more heart-wrenching letter in my life. there was a few more including a marriage proposal and a letter written by a 17 year old boy to his mother. the very last thing he wrote after his signature simply stated "I am to die for Ireland"