Creole Wisdom

new goodies

Friday Karen, Brittany, and I headed to MOA.  I made a killing at Forever 21.  I love Forever 21 because it's like the cheap girls Anthropologie.  I can get mostly anything I want, and a ton of it, too.  I am especially partial to their ultra-feminine sun dresses.  I even found a cute cover up for my swim suit. 

Oh, and for fun I tried on shorts.  Now, keep in mind I have not worn shorts since about 2002.  Why?  Well I found out again when I tried some on for fun, there is no need for me to be walking down the street in something that looks like I popped out of playmate of the year.  Not a good look.  It was hilarious to see in the dressing room.  Ya should of been there.  I was laughing my butt off.

Sunday mom wanted to go back to MOA for a mother's day shop.  I had been wanting to go to the new Gilly Hicks store, and I did.  Oh my goodness is that store gorgeous.  You need to come to MN and see it for yourself.  The most feminine, sexy, gorgeous underwear ever in the most fabulous, elegant, yet fun store.  I had to snap a picture of the place, here is the center room where they sell tons of perfume.  Ah, so gorgeous.  It is divided up into about 4 rooms and one of them looks like a massive, dark paneled library... but it's a library of bras.  I wanted to die.  It was so beautiful.

And their products... even more beautiful than the lingerie I remember seeing in France.  So pretty!  The photos do not do them justice. 

Then off to Martin + Osa for new flip flops and a really cute top.  They are another cool, new store.  Very holistic, organic look but well-tailored, feminine, and affordable prices!

Yep.  I'd say I'm ready for my Utah summer!

ebay empress/photo ready

I just feel like a brilliant queen.  An ebay empress.  It just thrills me to bid on items, watch them, eliminated the competition, and win.  I don't get to do it often, but when I do it puts me in such a great mood. 

•I have been admiring crumpler camera bags for quite some time.  Ever since I got interested in photography, actually.  Believe it or not I never had a proper camera case where I could fit my lenses and SLR.  Now I do: The Bazillion Dollar Home, cost me hardly anything!
•So, it was time for a new lens.  And since the one I really wanted, the 27-70mm 2.8 is way (I mean way) out of my budget I found the next best thing: the 50mm 1.8. I feel like my next lens purchase will be a wide-angle and then finally, the 27-70mm 2.8. 

So, you are probably wondering why I am so up on photo goodies right now.  Well, because Lindsay just happened to call me a week ago to ask me to shoot her wedding in St. George.  I cannot wait. 

hurt eye? go shop!

Yesterday after taking my contacts out my right eye started to hurt.  Not like, oh a little itchy hurt, but a full blown horrible, crashing pain.  I kept looking into my mirror to see if there was an eyelash stuck.  I figured I'd wake up and feel fine.  Wrong.  I woke up twice, once at 3am and again at 6am.  The second time crying.  When I closed my eyes it was so painful, and being exhausted I wanted to sleep so bad.  Strangely enough, when I put in my contacts I felt fine.  So, being that Sunday was my sorority's required initiation for the new pledges I just put in the contacts and planned to take care of it later.

I can't lie and say I wasn't worried.  I was terrified.  I am paranoid of something bad happening to my eyes- blindness, accident, anything... So all morning I was on edge.  As soon as initiation was over mom picked me up and took me to urgent care. Meanwhile Curtis is calling me worried and wondering and just being an all around sweetheart.

The triage nurse checked me in, and then I was quickly whisked off to a room.  This is the second time in my life I have ever had a health problem that required a visit to the ER or UC.  The doctor came in, put two numbing drops in my eye, then a drop of die.  She then turned the lights out (and this is the neat part) and got out this halogen light thing that resembled a giant flash light.  She checked everywhere and prodded... and would you believe it?!? nothing was wrong.  My eye by this point was actually feeling better, thank goodness.  And I left feeling thankful for a clean bill of health even if I was emotionally shaken up. 

So, after that mom felt I needed to get some new goodies.  I had to keep my glasses on all day, too, so that was a new experience since I usually wear them at night.  A little retail therapy was all it took!

The verdict: hot new pants (as seen in photo one) and the most delightful dress for Jana's bridal shower. 

sunday. royal blue sunday.

I wanted something new to wear to Stake Conference, and life in general. Gap came on through. Go check out their spring stuff, it is really cute. Like I spent $200/1 paycheck cute. I could not help myself when it came to the cardigans, there are more goodies where the ensemble above came from.

My dress and sweater might be blue, but my mood isn't. After all, when you get a text like this one how can you not be in a happy mood?

Sleep well, but pretty girls do deserve the best... or at least you do

Ya. I took 2 naps today, it was divine.

 

christmasy weekend 1

It was on crazy fun weekend.  I am loving the wildness that panned out.
Friday:
You know I was prepared to just give in when shopping for formal dress... and I didn't have to sacrifice too much except for my boobs.  At least it had sleeves! The ensemble line up: Free People dress, Macys everthing else, and borrowed clip- which I took out later because I did not want to look five years old.

Miss Emma and I before we left in front of our spectacular Christmas tree.  Now, do you see what I mean about the clip? Kinda an awkward combo with the cleavage and all.  From there we headed to Bayview out on Lake Minnetonka.  It was so festive, so beautiful.  It is times like these where my life feels magical.

My date Matt and I.  Dad would be proud, he's a Sigma Chi, too!


Our little sorority family; "grandma," little, and big (me). All on the dance floor together.  It was hilarious.
Saturday:
Ward Christmas party at the Bishop's house.  It was themed- "tacky holiday sweaters."  Now you all know that I don't really do themes, especially if they're gonna make me look bad.  I am still trying to find a husband ya know.  So I wore this ensemble instead. 

Due to multiple invitations Jana and I had to leave early.  We headed down to Rochester for Jonathan's Christmas party.  You know it was only fair we travel that far since he came up for our "work and the glory" party last Friday... And what did I just say about themed get togethers? Haha
Well, I will just be up front.  With men throwing parties you just never know what to except.  It might be bad like the time I ended up eating dry spagetti and a burnt roll (bless his heart for effort).  But Jonathan was pretty organized.  We ended up baking cookies, and you know I can take over a kitchen! A girl was there, and here's the convo that ensued.
Girl: What cookies are you guys making
Me: You know, the traditional herseys ones with the kisses in the center
Girl: Oh, actually those are called drop cookies (followed by a detailed definition of what a drop cookie is, I was thinking: does she know who she's talkin to?)
Me: Hm, well the recipes says "blossoms."
Girl: Well, be careful about your dough- don't add to much flour or it might get dry.

People kill me sometimes, lol.  But it all turned out lovely.  Jonathan gave me three awkward hugs and Jana and I left to head home. 

Sunday:
Church as usual, then Brian "finally" as he would put it, got me to go up and have dinner with his family.  We went to his cousin's place, and let me tell you they are the FUNNEST LDS people around (that I've met in real life, not to dog you blog readers ; ) What I like about them is that they have two kids, but are still hip.  They're funny and have a positive, playful, (a little crazy, too!) attitude.  We talked for hours then ran outside in swimsuits (barefoot) in the snow to the hottub.  The stars were out and it was dreamy. 

Brian loves the sorority.  He dropped me off after church so I could change (yes, I kicked him out of the room while I did the actual changing).  Here he is wearing Easter colors!

So that was it, and now I'm looking forward to a nights of rest under my divine flannel sheets.  Three guys in one weekend.  Ya, that sounds ho-ish, but I like to call it being busy. 

i like fall (cozy)

this weather has me wanting to curl up.  on my list of fall favorites (minus anything haunted):

•Minnetonka Moccasins.  These are just a classic. I had a pair as a kid, and I love these new ones. Perfect for walking to class.
•Roster McCabe, a campus band, came and played for us at our scrapbooking activity. They sang "Crazy" (the Gnarles Barkley version) and I was so happy.  I just love that song, in fact, last year it was my ring tone for a while-

•Parent's weekend was a success.  We do this once a year.  I was responsible for the decorations and set up. It turned out really well, and I made the  Martha Stewart luminaries out of tissue paper, super easy.
•My little sister Becky and I.  A little FYI: when new girls come into the chapter they get a "big sis" who guides them through their experience in the chapter. Isn't she cute?

•Wow, and can I just say how awkward that one looonnnggg curl looks.  Someone def. needs a haircut!
•Went to Punch Pizza yesterday with a girlfriend from church.  We also stopped by Bibelot, and I picked up this adorable necklace (it has the golden rule on the back, how cool is that?!?)

•Listening to lots of good music:
-Belle and Sebastin
-Carole King
-Carly Simon ... and you are all going to die.  I love her song "Julie Though the Glass," and it just happens that it was featured in a vintage LDS advertisment.  Is that cute or what? Now I cannot get the song out of my head!


Lincoln Park After Dark

I really need to be studying for my Philosophy 1001 and Comm 3411 tests.  Ah, I hate tests.  Seriosuly, I'm the person who gets 100% on a paper, but D's on tests.  Why is this!?! They are so horrible.  So instead of preparing for failure I'm reflecting on some goodies:

•OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark.  This is the most striking and beautiful nail color I have seen in forever.  My sorority sister Kate got us all addicted two nights ago during a viewing of Little Women.  We all came out of our lounge room looking rather stunning with this dark color. 

I am obsessed with this.  No kidding, last night around 11pm when I was eating my mother's homemade chocolate cake (in the still under construction home) with one of my lovers* (remember grocery store boy),  I said, "did you see I painted my nails?"  Ugh, how valley-girlish is that?!?  But he liked it, and of course I had to relay the name of the color to him.  Just in case he needed to pick some up, too.

•20% off everything at shade.  Such good deals.  I got this adorable turtleneck. 

•Gap finally has some nice stuff.  New dress for church along with opaque tights.  Do you know that opaque tights are now the "thing."  I wish I could find some in wild colors- like hot pink and mustard.  Any tips?
•This is the most feminine and lovely top ever created.  I am serious, and this store is so affordable.

*Wow, that sounded really, really ho-ish.  I just like to have a lot of choices ya know.

fall fashion preview

There are new items at Shabby Apple, so grab a cookie and take a look-y right here.  Yes, their prices are not so super cheap, but their quality is wonderful.  I love the brown, cap sleeved dress I got there earlier this year.  I don't know about you, but I like to support people like these.  Now, I'm thinking, is that plum number a necessary for conference.  Who knows if I'll end up in the Ensign so I'd better try and look cute. 

Autumn has also arrived at another tried and true favorite, Shade.  Shade simply makes the best t-shirt out there.  Modesty, length, and colors aside the fit is divine.  They are wonderfully made, and reasonably priced.

I am loving that deep purples, golds, and grays are in now.  These are shades that actually complement my skin tone versus all the yellows and creams which wash me out.  Can you feel fall coming?  If I only had my LL Bean book yet...

Yeah, I am up at 1 am.  I am going to be exhausted tomorrow for class (have to get up at 7:20).  It's all for you readers, all for you (imagine Janet singing that last line). Too bad I was busy most of the night on a date with a certain someone.  bwahah more blog-dating-creole-wisdom style entries to come! Thank goodness I could keep my French onion soup down this time...

in a perfect world

In a perfect world I would ride those lovely (teal!) beach cruiser to class and it would have the most adorable front basket.  My hair would blow in the wind, and I would have some really hot banana black capris with treatorn sneakers on (check). 

What would you do/wear/ride in a perfect world?

of this and that: various good things

Quite the number of good things have been popping up recently.
•I managed to get my book signed by Stephenie Meyer.  Thinking back there would of been a few things I would of done differently.  One, I would of arrived 2 not 1/2 hour early.  Two, I would of brought all three books to sign.  Oh well, when she comes around with the next one I'll be there.  Listening to her speak was such a treat.  Stephenie is so very modest, and really reminds me of just a nice, down to earth woman.  She is as talented as she is brilliant.

•Jay sent me the most lovely back to school gift one could ever imagine.  Talk about good mail.  I was thrilled to receive this yesterday:

•I got the new Lily Pulitzer catalog in the mail as well.  I drolled over all the good things that I cannot buy due to having to pay tuition n' stuff.  Goodness, she can design!
•After months of searching I found the magazine racks I wanted, on sale, at Jo-Ann's.  The only catch is I will need to spray paint them the right color.  Not a problem!  Thrilled to have found them, anyway!
•I did get to update my photography blog, so check it out to see more of this kind of stuff: