the pretty stealer

lessons i learned from one of the greats.

2011-10-06T00:57:00.000-07:00

my papa passed away yesterday. argus lincoln martin. can't have a much better name than that. i mean that just screams awesome. and if you saw him you would know it.

i woke up at 3:30 am this morning and started thinking about him. i woke up hearing an owl hooting outside my window and all i could think was my papa would like that owl. so 30 minutes later i am writing about him...something he wouldn't do, don't know if he ever looked on the internet, which is sometimes a luxury i wish i could say i have.

do you have that family member that you just feel like gets you somehow? you think "yep, that's where i get it from..." i don't know how many girls feel that way about your grandpa that's 50 years older, but i felt that way about him. We were alike in a lot of ways minus the cool hat collection, the john deere tractors in the garage, and sheds full of treasures in the backyard. so here are some lessons i have learned from one of the greats and one of my favorites and a fella i will miss a whole heck of a lot.

1. Do what you love.
Sometimes i think that my papa was happy every day of his life. of course i didn't know him as long as i would have liked, so maybe he found that later in life (or when i came along, i mean i am pretty special, ha!). But he did what he loved. He loved being outside and farming. He loved working hard and coming home to granny's cooking. shout out to granny's cooking by the way, i would love coming home to that any day. It could have been that being in World War 2 helped him to not take things for granted and find joy in the everyday. I'm not sure but he loved life and he loved it well. So find those things that make you happy and do them. Or live life happy where you are. it isn't as hard as you think.

2. You don't have to leave the county to be adventurous. carpe the diem.
I always thought it was kind of funny that my granny and papa didn't like to travel too much. i mean they did their share of traveling early in retirement. or the crazy road trip up north when my mom was young. still wish i could have been in that car in with them when Papa was just driving throught NYC while people were yelling at them that they were gonna get killed. but the majority of the time, they stayed in good old ansonville, nc. but my papa he was an adventurous fella.
why not start beekeeping at 80?
join and start a band at 80 too? alright.
start singing in the choir.
plant a field of sunflowers just cuz you feel like it?
run after an ice cream truck on a hot july 4th with your granddaughter when your 86 just cause you feel like it?
i think he would just get ideas in his head and be like "i could do that". and do it. not just think about it. not say, hmmmm...will this be profitable? will i be able to do this and watch reality tv? nope he just did it.

3. Be generous.
My granny and papa are pretty much the most generous people i know. my parents run a close second. it was almost like nothing was theirs. i was always overwhelmed by the generosity that they showed me and the community of people around them. they saw the best in people. whether it was their relatives, people at church or a random stranger they always see the best in people and try to bless them in any way they can. even their stray cats have it good. whether its with free honey, letting their tenants off for a months rent (or 5, ha!), they did what they thought would help that person. its something i try to work at daily.

4. Do something unexpected just to get a laugh.
ok. so i don't think that papa tried to do anything that he did. i think it was probably just his personality to get people to smile and laugh. he would let out a hollar at an unexpected moment. he would know what to say to you to get you riled up and then look at you and grin which you couldn't help but laugh out loud. just do hilarious things at the dinner table that i just can't describe. Dance to Justin Timberlake at your granddaughters wedding, you know i loved that. play.

5. Be proud of what you do. it seems like everytime i went to their house, i would be taken on the "garden tour". He would go out and show me the stuff he was working on in the yard. i would get to see how the blueberries were coming along and how the tomatoes were growing. sometimes i would get to go in the truck and look at the fields and how they were coming along. you could tell he was proud of it. i want to be that person that looks at the work they did that day and know that i tried my hardest and that i am proud of it.

6. Other small lesssons:
always go for seconds on thanksgiving or christmas.
and bojangles biscuits are good. but don't ever ask for an extra biscuit in your family pack because they get really confused.
if you leave the county make sure you don't stay overnight. :)
go panthers. and nascar.
an apple a day or some kind of fruit makes you happy. it always helps to have the fresh fruit on the tree right outside your house.
you can never eat too many nuts.
or own too many flashlights.
the more rakes in your shed the better.
the early bird gets the worm. or 5:30 am is the best time to get the paper, check on the yard, eat breakfast made by granny on the tv tray and turn on the weather channel for the rest of the day.
nothing is better than a comfortable chair.
you can never watch enough old westerns.
oh and remember to wear whatever hat makes you happy that day.

i learned alot more but that might have to wait for another day. i might need to get back to sleep now, right when papa would be getting up, ready for a new day.

be a friend.

2011-10-04T16:35:00.001-07:00

what a better way to be a friend than to know what it means to begin with. in my 8 month of pregnancy i have slim to none motivation. so i am especially impressed that i am writing this blog right now. but i might have to take the easy way out. and research the web a bit for some good friend stuff. you love it....so here you go.

Some friend quotes for the fridge:

A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same.
Elbert Hubbard

A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil; but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls and small, silly presents every so often - just to save it from drying out completely.
Pam Brown

The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing... not healing, not curing... that is a friend who cares.
Henri Nouwen

When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.
Henri Nouwen

The latest news story on friendship:
When Friendships Go Wrong

all this to say is that friendships are pretty dang important in my life. i live with my best friend now. my best friends are the ones i look to when i need advice, a good walk, watch reality tv, and just someone to sit back with or spaz out with. i am so thankful for the random group of ladies (and joel) that have fallen into my life and i know will be there even if i haven't chatted with them in a long while and they live cross country. they are the reason i have a guest bedroom, just in case they need a place to crash. i love them and how unique and beautiful each one is. heart you. and if you are reading this. you should probably call me, because i am too lazy to leave my house. love that this is the only time i can use this excuse. better take advantage of it...

p.s. i took this pic in korea, and these girls were way too cute.

Forgive.

2011-09-20T15:39:00.000-07:00

i have been putting this one off for a while. not because it is especially hard for me to forgive people. unless its myself. i feel like this is not unusual for a lot of girls. we put so much pressure on ourselves to be and do everything.

to be a size 6.
to keep your house clean and smelling pretty good.
to spend equal amounts of time with each friend.
spend time with family.
to serve the community around you.
be crafty.
cook something decent.
keep your legs shaved.
keep learning.
be fashionable.
keep up with pop culture.
work 8-5.
figure out how kids work.

and this list goes on and on.

we can be pretty hard on ourselves. usually it gets to a point where i give up and just take a nap. (its my go to therapy). but lately i've tried to slow it down a bit (not always a choice these days). to slow it down and forgive myself if i don't get to everything on my list, if i don't do everything perfect. and just try to feel reassured that my friends won't drop me. that the politics of the world will pretty much be the same next week. that drinking a glass of tea on my back stoop without worrying about pulling weeds and taking out the trash is allowed. and if i don't exercise that day, that my non-existent muscles won't sag...

it will all be there tomorrow. and tomorrow i will be ready for it.
unless its another southern tea day.

Next: be a friend.

Give.

2011-08-07T19:38:00.001-07:00

i get on kicks where i want to watch the news. i am partial to the 6:30 world news with diane sawyer to be specific. anyways last week, they did a weeklong story on the famine in somalia. this meant that i cried for around 10-15 minutes each night this week between 6:30 and 7. good times right? but it was not only sad because 30,000 children under the age of 5 have already died, but that this only got covered for 5 minutes on one channel. imagine if 30,000 children died in a couple of months in the US? there would be mass hysteria...
instead we are focused on the debt ceiling, and our triple A rating whatever that means (still trying to figure it out). and americans are freaking out about it. meanwhile in somalia there are mothers having to carry their children 50 miles to another country just to get their family food and meet their needs. we are worried if we can still go out to eat as many times a week or go on vacation next year.
anyways, this stuff riles me up. but at the same time i feel like i can't really do anything, like can i really do anything about the stuff going on over there? well i can do a little bit...i can give. i could reason that we have a baby on the way and joel is going back to school and that we don't have that much money leftover, but really in comparison, we have too much to give. i could find other things that i want to spend money on, like a starbucks treat (which i will probably do anyway...i can't lie) or going to the movies, or some cute stuff from forever 21. a quick fix to make me happier for the moment. but i found the same joy (and i cried some more in my cube on friday) when i just put in my credit card numbers for doctors without borders, a charity with low overhead that is helping people right now. so its almost like i am there...

so i encourage you to give. you don't have to give to this cause. but find something that does make you cry in your cube a bit and make you thankful for what you do have and what you can give.

To learn more about somalia and what is going on in the horn of africa:
http://abcnews.go.com/International/somalia-famine/story?id=14088327

Pay Back.

2011-08-05T18:50:00.001-07:00

sorry about my absense from the blog, i was distracted by the summer sunshine. Dang summer, it gets me off task in a good way.

So the Conklins are having a kid. which is pretty crazy and a big deal and overwhelming and humbling. but in the months of pregnancy that i have experienced so far, i have gotten so much help which is amazing... a full wardrobe of maternity hand me downs, a ton of used baby gear, a dozen baby how-to books (which is pretty overwhelming but awesome), and more words of advice than i know what to do with but are necessary because i am so clueless. All this to say that having people around that care about you and help you when you are in a place where you don't really have any idea what you are doing is amazing. This is the first time in my life where i have welcomed this kind of help and advice and i am not trying to do it all on my own, and i have to say its pretty freeing.

But all this to say, is when i am on the other side of the fence, i will pay all those new moms back with all that has been given to me. and i will be well equipped with all that has been bestowed upon me. or i will at least try.

a special thanks to my team of baby and pregnancy gurus: angie hairgrove, becky donaldson, lauren tate, kristin chadwick, emily okie, amanda phillips, lauren scott, denise flanders, christy meyers, jennifer fisher and of course my mom.

Next: Give.

Task 11: Revel in the Kindness of Others.

2011-05-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

I feel like I see this everyday in life. Kindness. Maybe its because i live in the south (yep i am biased and think the south is the best). Or maybe I am just lucky enough to know some really kind/dang good people.

People really can make a difference by just being considerate and taking a bit of time out of their day to do something "good". On Saturday, we decided to volunteer for the first time at an apartment community in Charlotte that houses a lot of low income, immigrant families. My eyes were opened to a piece of America that i had never really been in contact with. The conditions were very poor, with large families living in very small apartments...

But a group of people showed up on Saturday and gave up their time, to clean the families homes, to paint their walls, and even cheer up their apartments with bouquets of flowers. A smile and a conversation can go a long way. Playing with a kid on a dirt soccer field can go a long way. 2 hours on a saturday can make a big difference. It encouraged and inspired me. I have to admit lately i have been a big slacker on giving up my time for anyone but myself and what i want to do. But a little kindness goes a long way even in your own life.

Task 12: Pay Back.

Task 10: Live in the Present.

2011-04-21T09:06:00.000-07:00

I have a hard time with this on a daily basis. I have the "what can i do next mentality..", which sounds good but in actuality it makes it so you never slow down, you never think, you never really know what you want. You just hope that you want to do that in 3 weeks...
In high school and college i felt like living in the present was all i did and i was dang good at. I didn't really care too much about how much i could do in a day, a week or a year. It was more about enjoying where i was at the moment and enjoying those moments as much as i could.
So when i went to visit my old high school bff, the one and only meghann ackerman, i kind of felt like i got a piece of that back even if it was just for a day. We went to Raleigh (the home of the infamous and amazing wolfpack) and for old times sake we had a Scream reunion with the opening of Scream 4. (p.s. love love loved it...) We ate some dinner, we watched a movie, we walked around Barnes and Noble. I didn't feel like i had to work out that day, or clean something or read 50 pages of some smart book (ok that doesn't happen that much but it could.) The next day, we slept in, we decided what the hey lets go to the farmers market, and then went and ate some good ole NC BBQ and just kind of chilled out (ps the sweet tea was amazing). All in all, i didn't really care what time it was...I just wanted to be in the moment. I'm hoping i can do this more often. Summer usually helps out a bit.

Cooper's BBQ, dang good...but they served real pig skins with their hush puppies, and i might have been kind of scared...

picture of the pig outside the Raleigh farmers market. pretty cute.

Task 11: Revel in the Kindness of Others...this should be easy...

Task 9: Save for the Future.

2011-04-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

Joel and I are probably middle of the road when it comes to saving. We don't have any debt (except for that whole mortgage thing). We have a savings account that has actual money in it. I say that is pretty good. But the thing i like to budget into our lives the most is travel. Its my essential. So when i thought of saving for the future, i immediately thought of this summer and how my plans have grown monetarily a bit or maybe a lot.

So my 2 summer adventures are: Key West & Alaska. Joel had asked me a couple of weeks ago if I could make a budget for these 2 excursions, but usually I will make a whining noise and ask if I have to...because when it comes to adventure I do not like to be limited. at all. But I considered it and I thought maybe just this once I could try this whole budgeting thing out. Just this once...Here is the break down (Keep in mind when you see this budget, that for the remainder of the year we will most likely be eating oatmeal, but I'm alright with that.)

Fly to Miami and then drive down to the Keys and back:
Flight: $520 total.
Car: $300 (including gas)
Hotel: Key Largo - $150
Key West - 2 nights/$350 (its expensive down in those parts...)
Miami - $85 (thank you megan and that you work for hyatt)
Food: $200 (i am good at eating cheap)
Extras: $150 (maybe some snorkeling or something along those lines)
Total: $1755 (whoa momma, but my tan will make it worth it)

Juneau, Alaska!!
Air: $1115 total (thanks to a buddy pass from my cousin)
Hotel: $0 (since my cousin lives there in a cozy condo)
Food: $300 (i might want some seafood)
Excursions: $200 (whale watching perhaps?)
Total: $1615 (come on tax refund, obama would approve)

So there you go I did it. I don't feel that limited. I can budget. I can budget.

Next...
Task 10: Live in the Present.

Task 8: Show Your Appreciation.

2011-04-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

This one i have known i needed to do this for awhile but this task just pushed me to do it. A month or so back my tire was flat in the parking lot at work as i walked out to leave. I was immediately like "oh krap". who is gonna take me home? this does not fit into my schedule...etc. etc.... so i walked back into work and luckily there were 2 chivalrous guys at my service. They came outside, showed me how to put on a spare and even directed me to the best (and free) tire patcher in town that was also on my way home. I was overwhelmed, and they took care of it in like 15 minutes. AMAZING. (p.s. i am gonna start a petition that people should learn that kind of thing in highschool, just sayin that its valuable).

So last night i baked in their honor. which is an honor because i am not much of a baker. but i made some brownies and put them on cute plates and hopefully made their tuesdays at least a little choclatier! Thanks Jim Hawn and Joe Pilon for being chivalrous!

Task 9: Save for the future. uh oh.

Task 7: Share the Love.

2011-04-04T18:16:00.000-07:00

This has been a season of babies in Charlotte (understatement). And with the season of tons of cute new little people to populate the queen city, there is an opportunity to share the love. Weekly perhaps... for a couple consecutive weeks i have enjoyed meeting the new little ones and also making a meal (not my strong suit) and sharing and making that couples life just a tad bit easier. Tonight i finally got to meet Loah Stinson...who was way too cute and might have more hair that me, and definitely a better outfit. And even though babies are intimidating, it was good times...since she was pretty much sleeping the whole time, meanwhile Pierce was entertaining us by eating spaghetti faster than i think anyone in all time. So my food of choice, to share the love, is spaghetti con carne, a salad with homemade dressing, and some ice cream sandwiches (only the classiest dessert). Which means we make double and joel and i have gotten it too every time. Not that i really mind. Spaghetti is pretty awesome. So share the love, and people's stomachs will love you back.
Sidenote: for other's in need of a fabulous website for setting up a meal schedule for family's with a new baby or someone who is sick check out: takethemameal.com. amazing.

p.s. i keep getting frustrated with ipod touch photos, but i will figure it out. so at least they look slightly less fuzzy.

Task 8: Show Your Appreciation.

p.s. i am ready for my spring J.Crew dress.

2011-03-31T18:24:00.000-07:00

who wants to sponsor it?

Task 6: Count Your Blessings.

2011-03-31T17:53:00.000-07:00

So why not just do this simple, and simply count your blessings for a day. so that's what i did.

1. a warm bed and a morning kiss from my hubby.
2. pb&j on wholesome wholewheat bread with a banana on the side for breakfast. heaven.
3. No radiation in my food. Praying for Japan.
4. Didn't rain on my head to and from my car.
5. My mom loves me and emails me to make sure things are going pretty good during the
day.
6. A coupon for free lunch = yummy grilled chicken salad.
7. A great team of people who have my back at work. love them.
8. No traffic on 85!
9. A great run with a great friend in the mist. and our legs made it 50 minutes!
10. Qdoba naked burrito treat. Mexican food is always a blessing.
11. A warm home with wifi to come home to.
12. Clean water out of the tap that i can rehydrate with.
13. A warm bed and a good book and a cup of tea to keep me company on my way to
sweet sleep.

Counting your blessings makes you feel pretty blessed. even on just a normal thursday. maybe you should try it on a normal friday tomorrow.
Next... Task 7: Share your love.

Task 5: Settle in.

2011-03-30T17:35:00.000-07:00

Settling in. What better a week to do this than one where its rainy and cold and miserable outside so you have no choice but to settle in. and settle in good. so tonight on day 54 of rain, i was like what would help me to be more settled in my little homestead.

1. T-shirt drawer. Major organization needed. check.
many t-shirts finally went into the goodwill pile, after many many years...

2. Closet. Yipes. double yipes. shoes organized and even vacuumed. amen.

3. Bedroom. actually made bed. actually cleaned up my bedside table. and totally vacuumed.

So you might not think this is that momentous, but its amazing what a clean room can do for your outlook in life...and before bed i will conquer the downstairs. i can do it. if i can only stop being so addicted to words with friends. dang it. got a new ipod touch with a handy dandy camera, haven't figured out all of the good stuff i can do but i am on my way. this rain better stop. soon.

And while i am at it...here are some other ideas for settling in:
1. a compost pile (any tips out there?)
2. tiling the bathroom floors...i think i can do it...
3. make our grass grow. there is kind of a big dead spot that just wont grow.
4. wood floors, if my dreams do come true.

maybe further down the road you will hear about these little projects...

peace out. next Count Your Blessings.

Task 4: Go Within.

2011-03-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

I have avoided this task for 2 days. Go within. What does that mean? I ask that question because I am horrible at this kind of soul searching, being quiet, waiting on answers, analyzing who I am kind of thing. I have tried. Sometimes successfully. Most of the time getting off task with my ADD mind in about 5 minutes. I am scared of quiet. I live for activity. For multi-tasking as much as possible. How many lists can i make and check off in a day. But today is as good a day as any to try this...To put it bluntly it sucks outside. Its rainy and cold and dreary. The weather is my nemesis. And it usually wins when it is like it is today.
So after putting it off even more today. I was like ok, lets do this. i took a half shower. I did some calming yoga, to slow down the mind a bit. and i prayed. and listened. it actually was nice to hear my own breath. to just be still and not feel guilty. That is half my battle. Guilt. My head always saying " you need to do this and this, and remember that project that you want to start...". So i prayed that i wouldn't feel guilty for just being. That i would be alright with it and even comfortable with just the quiet. So this task doesn't end today...hopefully i can try this quiet thing out more often. Stay warm and dry, maybe with a cup of tea. xoxo.

Task 5: Settle in. oh krap.

Task 3: Reach Out.

2011-03-25T04:11:00.000-07:00

I have lived in Charlotte a little over 5 years. When i first moved here, i was in the "How many people can i meet!" mode. I would try anything and everything. I would go to any event, even if i knew no one there. Things change gradually as you live somewhere for a while. You find your bubble. You love your bubble. You slowly realize that you have built that bubble and its a little hard to leave. I don't go to events really unless its a sure thing these days. I have to know a good number of people i know will be there and i will be pretty comfortable there. So it just so happened that my little social butterfly friend, Daisy, asked me to come to a charity event last night, for kind of the same reason. We didn't really know who was going. We didn't know what schedule was going to be. But we did know that it benefited a child's place. and it was at butter, which is in gossip girl sometimes, so what was there to lose.

Well we did it. We got gussied up (even though when i put on my dress, it didn't fit right). We went out. At first we were like, welp we don't know that many people. But i did get to see some guys i haven't seen in a real long time and catch up. I also made a new friend, who is awesome, and i think we might be sleepy poet pals. There wasn't that much dancing (sadness), it was uncomfortable at times (maybe due to the high heels), but i did talk to some new folks and support a charity at the same time. All in all, reaching out wasn't too bad.

Since i wrote this late...today is go within.
Happy friday. thank god for spring. love and peace.

Task 2: Listen.

2011-03-23T18:38:00.000-07:00

I actually didn't really know what would happen with this. I was kind of hoping a long lost friend would call me up and really really need to chat. But it didn't. So i started thinking about it. Lately i have been pretty horrible about buying albums and not really listening to them and enjoying them. So i thought it would be kind of amazing for me to take time and listen to the CD (or most of it anyway) and be kind of creative with it. So i bought the new Adele album which i had heard great things about, took home the macro lens from work and walked around the yard and enjoyed the springtime.
Here is what my camera and Adele led me too...

It was pretty awesome. a bit windy. understatement. but still pretty awesome. and Adele rocks my face off. I would recommend her latest.

Tomorrow is Reach Out. But to where?

Talk.

2011-03-22T18:45:00.000-07:00

Task 1: Talk.
So for this task i was trying to think who would most want to talk to me. I know this might sound conceited but the first people that came to mind were the grandparents. I have 3 amazing ones still kicking, all three are characters. There is Granny and Papa and then on the other side I have Backi (who has an iPad and i don't, not that i'm bitter.) So I called em up. I got a hold of granny and papa. I think backi was out partying it up.

(Here is a mental picture of the crazy couple if you need one.)
Here is the news that you missed out on.
My Papa's schedule:
woke up at 4:30 a.m.
fed the cat.
ate breakfast.
read the paper.
watched the news and the weather.
Fertilized the farm from 7:45 -11.
Took granny to the doctors for her shots. (sidenote: put up a little prayer that she feels all better in the a.m.)
Went to hardees on the way home for chicken on buns that were too big, fries and a tea and had to pay $13. Papa informed me they could have gotten the same thing at Bojangles for $5. I informed him that's what he gets for being wild and crazy.
Other than that they are good. Granny always makes sure i am not going on any trips she has to worry about. I'm not...at least till June or so.

So Talking was good. I also did one other thing to top it off. I signed up for Skype. That way i can talk to peeps across the pond. (hint hint lindsey yopp and shelly long.)
So I am growing technologically talk too.

p.s. this picture is supposed to get you real excited about skyping with me.)

Tomorrow is Listen. So if you need a good listener. I am your girl. I am on call. I am even on skype. For reals.

a new idea. that was old.

2011-03-21T17:32:00.001-07:00

i found this from the charleston post and courier back in 2002. I have moved cross country. lived in probably 6 or 7 different apartments, and somehow i kept this.
so i am finally gonna do something with it. 9 years late. i found it inspiring at one point. so tomorrow my quest begins. To take each sentence and apply it to each day in a memorable way, and hopefully blog about it as well. I can be consistent. I can be consistent. I'm kind of excited. I need to stretch myself these days. Maybe this is just the way to do it.

Here it is written out in entirety:
Talk. Listen. Reach out. Go within. Settle in. Count your blessings. Share your love. Show your appreciation. Save for the future. Live in the present. Revel in the kindness of others. Pay back. Give. Forgive. Be a friend. Be a father. Be a mother. Lift others up. Share joy. Hold your tongue. Express your love. Live each day. Thank God. Welcome friends. Know your neighbors. Spread decency. Earn respect. Honor commitment. Correct wrongs. Do better. Know better. Be prudent. Be brave. Dream big. Open your mind. Open your heart. Sympathize. Empathize. Spread kindness. Sing. Dance. Make a difference. Make time. Join together. Give Encouragement. Give guidance. Take guidance. Temper your words. Take time. Listen to your mother. Read a book. Know what matters. Travel. Share your experience. Experience sharing. Teach. Think. Do what's right. Share goodness. Set an example. Invite. Be kind to animals. Be kind to people. Make someone's day. Give compliments. Make your day. Compliment yourself. Make your own success. Show compassion. Learn how to measure success. Depend on others. Depend on yourself. Pay it forward. Trust others. Hug someone. Think positively. Thank someone. Wish someone well. Be honest. Be hones to yourself. Love your country. Be better. Love yourself. Assist your community. Cherish diversity. Lend a hand. Lend an ear. Be helpful. Be considerate. Admire. Hear both sides. Look both ways. Bridge the gap. Try to understand. Plan family time. Plant a tree. Enjoy nature. Enjoy life. Smile. Enlighten. Create. Share a memory. Share a dream. Talk with others. Love others. Explore. Whistle. Express yourself. Ask questions. Find answers. Hope. Tell a joke. Laugh with your whole heart. Share your opinion. Respect ideas. Open the minds of those around you. Nurture friendships. Communicate. Discover something new. Make a friend. Value difference. Remember. Say hello to a stranger. Speak your mind. Encourage your children. Be inspired. Tell a story. Comfort friends. Support your family. Educate. Hold hands. Be passionate. Show mercy. Accept love. Live freely. Practice. Play. Draw a picture. Take a picture. Inspire. Tickle your kids. Feel. Listen to a song. Listen to a friend. Cheer. Learn. Grow. Share. Connect. Listen to others. Look around. Experience. Enjoy the simple things. Savor a sunset. Care. Relate to a friend. Be humane. Be real. Fantasize. Commit to a cause. Commit to your family. Respond. Speak out. Celebrate. Gather with loved ones. Write a letter. Cherish life. Take a deep breath. Stretch your imagination. Find answers. Belong. Embrace your father. Hug your mother. Pretend. Be kind. Show affection. Face your fears. Be brave. Open up. Be a better you.

Holy moly. I have a lot of work to do. Tomorrow: Talk.
Not my strong suit.

i suck at plucking my eyebrows.

2011-02-28T18:33:00.000-08:00

i just tried it. I had it professionally done two weeks ago, after a 2 year hiatus when i got it done for my wedding, before that it was a 29 year hiatus. I thought that if they did it for me once i could easily just follow the path to plucking freedom. but then i get confused and scared that i might over pluck, or under pluck or cause a plucking natural disaster (it happened to when i tried to cut my bangs once.) was i supposed to get training on this as a teen? i think that that should be included in a good public school education. just saying.

p.s. this eyebrow chart made me laugh at how this is never gonna happen.

spring has sprung. and so has my heart.

2011-02-28T15:33:00.001-08:00

speaking of christmas...

2010-12-05T14:15:00.001-08:00

can i have this?

You can find it here. maybe if you go it won't be sold out.

starbucks at christmas.

2010-12-05T14:11:00.001-08:00

is one of my favorite places. and they always do a good job at marketing their dreamy christmas gear.

you can go there daily for their advent calendar of goodies.

kissing blog?

2010-11-04T18:49:00.001-07:00

what's not to like?

kissing. a love blog. find it here.

logo love.

2010-08-25T19:14:00.000-07:00

i have gotten a new logo job and i needed a little inspiration...thank you google...
here are my faves...hopefully i will get to see my finished product sooner than later.
xoxo logos.

pieces of atlanta.

2010-08-05T18:00:00.001-07:00

hotlanta that is. and that is not an exaggeration. i did have fun at the pool though. yo mtv raps style.{p.s. uno mas and highland bakery i definitely definitely recommend.}

my first design love.

2010-08-05T17:20:00.000-07:00

he may be a lot of people's first love but i rediscovered my love recently. his free spirited, beautiful type placement, and layout i love is something that inspires me know matter how many times i see it.
here are a couple of samples you can love...
Learn more about david carson.

Why is he so good?

2010-04-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

Saw Jay Clifford for around the 1000th time and i must say he never gets old. i can just listen to his voice for hours. no lie. plus they had woodchuck cider on tap.

another tutorial.

2010-04-13T08:35:00.001-07:00

i am on a roll today...
this one is pretty sweet...too...now i just wish i had somewhere to use it...

a link to more fun.

this is too cool.

2010-04-13T07:59:00.000-07:00

its like photoshop in real life.

download for yourself here.

if you actually have extra time designers...

2010-04-13T06:57:00.000-07:00

try out this tutorial. pretty easy and pretty cool.
i made myself all metallic.

check it out on Best Photoshop Tutorials.

i want to live here too.

2010-04-13T05:26:00.000-07:00

my design partner in crime shared this with me, and i agree i want to live here too. and just sip sweet tea all day long.

Find out more here.

this banana bread is pretty dang good.

2010-04-12T17:27:00.001-07:00

and its really easy!
check it out.
easy as pie banana bread recipe

this reminds me of my friend audrey.

2010-04-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

and if i had chalkboard walls it would be perfect.

Purchase this and other pretties here.

this stuff is cute and almost edible.

2010-03-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

you should definitely check it out:
Paper Pastries

this looks like the perfect rainy sunday afternoon.

2010-03-28T10:00:00.001-07:00

More inspirations from a girl wishing for the world.

my dream.

2010-03-24T12:43:00.001-07:00

the artist:
http://thedots.tumblr.com/post/466103491/moriahfreed

http://www.flickr.com/photos/motato

ridiculous love.

2010-03-19T12:29:00.001-07:00

this is really really beautiful. i love the color and the wallpaper. plus the wood sinks = perfection.

good design is scrumptuous.

2010-03-19T10:33:00.000-07:00

this is pretty great. love the photography and the design.
stolen from: design work life

shoes.

2010-03-18T13:42:00.000-07:00

so i noticed this pair of Born shoes in a magazine that i loved so i decided to check out the site and see just how expensive my love was. and i discovered a beautiful site in the process. love love love the shots behind the product info. quite lovely.

www.bornshoes.com

totally love this.

2010-03-12T14:10:00.001-08:00

new videos i like.

2010-03-09T18:03:00.000-08:00

these kids are coming to the neighborhood. i think i might have to check it out.

and one more cause you know i got to.

beautiful.

2010-02-25T05:43:00.001-08:00

i love the simplicity of her work. check her out here. she is a poet too.

an artist love rekindled.

2010-02-24T06:42:00.000-08:00

i studied this fella in design school and seeing his art again makes me fall in love and hungry all over again. here is a little taste of the artist and his work.

I WANT THESE. now who wants to buy them for me.

2010-02-24T06:24:00.001-08:00

Buy them for me at http://www.wristworms.com/

a bit of time on the west coast.

2010-02-23T18:31:00.000-08:00

most of the trip was a bit soggy and wet so i didn't get to do as much exploring as i wanted...but i did get a few moments of sunshine just before i left.

if i was going to prom. at 31.

2010-02-23T17:42:00.001-08:00

i stole this idea from another 31 year old at the SCOOP.

i want this to be my bedroom.

2010-02-16T05:52:00.000-08:00

and this designer is from charleston too. where everything good is in the world.
check her out here. www.angiehranowsky.com

a romantic hairstyle just in time.

2010-02-12T05:48:00.001-08:00

maybe tomorrow morning.

oh owls.

2010-02-11T11:47:00.001-08:00

by abigail brown.

hmmm...oh i cannot wait.

2010-02-08T18:00:00.001-08:00

stolen from little silver boxes

'The Power of Half' by Kevin and Hannah Salwen: Book Excerpt - ABC News

2010-02-08T17:32:00.000-08:00

'The Power of Half' by Kevin and Hannah Salwen: Book Excerpt - ABC News

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

i love this story....amazing what a 14 year old girl can do to change her family and the world.

new show obsession.

2010-02-08T07:43:00.000-08:00

ummm...love this show and the ex boyfriend is my favorite. laughed out loud by myself to about every episode.

might have to try this. i love.

2010-01-26T10:17:00.001-08:00

might make each day seem a bit more special.

what happens in NYC...

2010-01-24T17:39:00.001-08:00

perfect for my next soiree.

2010-01-24T15:19:00.001-08:00

bye bye sweet coco.

2010-01-24T15:16:00.000-08:00

i stole this from Old Sweet Song. amazing stuff.
i need a moment.

YES PLEASE.

2010-01-16T15:02:00.000-08:00

anthropologie. oh how i love thee.

cool trucks.

2010-01-14T06:27:00.001-08:00

i have often taken pics of trucks with graffiti and i haven't quite figure out why yet. but i think they are pretty and so does this fella.

2010-01-13T12:12:00.000-08:00

this video makes me happy.

the best and worst. a little steal for the graphics peeps.

2010-01-13T06:37:00.000-08:00

i thought this was a great post to take a look at what is out there in the logo world...sometimes its hard to keep up...all the time actually.
click here to take a look at the best and the worst in logo design for 2009

a hairgrove family album.

2010-01-11T10:38:00.001-08:00

a bit of pix from a fun short afternoon with the entire hairgrove clan. they are way too cute. and levi, that kid wins the cute award.

perfect little doodles.

2010-01-05T19:55:00.001-08:00

this little bird makes me grin.
to see more...visit here.

a bloom of brothers.

2010-01-04T11:13:00.000-08:00

fully and thoroughly enjoyed this flick. and i want to be the Asian girl in this. because she is pretty awesome. plus they use pretty fonts which makes me smile.

fine little day.

2009-12-30T12:00:00.000-08:00

a pretty place to visit. and this picture makes me like winter just a tad more.

i want.

2009-12-30T11:36:00.001-08:00

drool at anthropologie.

i know its after xmas...

2009-12-27T14:03:00.000-08:00

but this was too cute to post. and if anyone actually has time to do this, you better invite me over.
kudos to notmartha.org. I love the variations too...too cute.
click here for the directions...i'm not sure if i believe these people are not martha stewart.

happy christmas.

2009-12-24T04:47:00.001-08:00

merry christmas to all. and to all a pretty retro christmas. love this.

Movie Review: Paper Heart.

2009-12-23T17:51:00.000-08:00

"love is when you take someone to applebees and get em some chicken wings."
-paper heart.

this movie is cute and pretty. it was definitely worth a dollar at the neighborhood red box.

the pretty stealer begins her crime.

2009-12-23T17:30:00.001-08:00

hi. there is alot of prettiness out there. its kind of overwhelming actually. but i want to remember. i want to take it in. i want to catalog the beautiful things and people and places out there. and remember and if i ever get a free afternoon then i can find it. and create a little prettiness for myself. so if you are looking for prettiness, come on by....i've most likely stolen it from someone else.

xoxo.
kelstar