Getting back on the horse... for now.

I'm going to be real here, I haven't posted in forever. Being even more real, in the next 3 weeks I will go on a missions trip to Honduras, pack up my life and move, visit Memphis and do my first week of camps for the summer. I probably won't be posting again for a while. haha. I mean, I'm exhausted (and excited and sad) just THINKING about all of those things! I do need some record of my life though and this is a great way to do it! I really don't even know where to start since so much has happened since December when I last posted, so I'm going to go against instinct and towards laziness and just share where I'm at right now. I'm pretty much a moving ball of emotion lately. I have to stop and wonder if people can even see me through the cloud of joy and fear and sadness and love and nerves and confusion that must surround me at all times. I am so thankful for my time here in the big TX and so sad to leave after almost 8 months! I have grown so close to the students I've been mentoring and I have learned so much from the staff I'm interning under. I honestly never thought that moving here for makeup and skin education would come as a package deal with a fantastic church community, youth ministry internship and mission work in Honduras. Never in a million years. But it did! I graduated school at the end of April and I still have a sense of pride at my completion knowing how challenging it was spiritually, physically and emotionally to get through all of those long days and the many hours of homework and practice. I don't know what more I could ask for in my life and that fills me with even more joy to know that God has so much more in store for me this year! I am growing stronger and pursuing righteousness and self discipline in ways that I never imagined. Basically I'm proud of myself. haha. This summer the plan is to work my booty off to be the best teacher I can be working camps an generally enjoying life and my many blessings. Although uncomfortable, I'm really being challenged in grace and humility right now. God is giving me perspective on what it looks like to love people for their souls and in a more eternal way. I've been creating and worshiping and changing. I feel like an entirely different person actually. Which is probably a good thing! Praise God that He is good even when I'm not :) Excited for this upcoming week working in Honduras!

Greetings from the big TX!

This is really happening! I'm really actually updating my blog like I've been meaning to since I moved to Austin almost 2 months ago!
I'm just sitting at the counter waiting for the dishwasher to finish so that I can pack a spoon for tomorrows lunch and listening to some nice Christmas-y tunes, so I figured if not now, when?
Life is good for me. Austin is a really cool city, lots of things do do & lots of cool places to eat! Living with Patrick and Riley is a little weird because we barely talk, but they're nice and I like having my own space. School is SO exhausting. I like it a lot though, and I'm learning even more. I've made good friends at school and I have no job. That's a brief summary of my experience so far!
I've learned a lot about myself since I've been here, way more and in different ways than I would have thought possible in such a short amount of time. I bake and cook tons on my days off, and I love doing it. I've learned better than ever about the value of a dollar and how to make money stretch. I've learned to appreciate having friends who encourage me in my faith. It's been very challenging for me to be so far from that, and I've really had to rely on God to speak His wisdom into me. It's just exhausting sometimes, but it's also interesting to see and hear other perspectives. I've learned that I love living on my own! I love my days off when I have the house to myself to get done whatever I need to in my own time. It's a great sense of freedom. I've learned that I actually don't hate snow & cold, I just don't care for it after January. It's weirdly warm here. I've learned that I love Chicago! Austin is so artsy and fun, but it's really made me value where I come from and see it in a more positive light. I've met some really cool people at school. Definitely some that I will keep in touch with after we end in May, and some that are really teaching me a lot. I'm the youngest in my class of 14 girls and that in and of itself has proven educational. A lot of girls with a lot of life experience! I've learned that I am secretly an over achiever. I guess I get it from my mom. Mostly I've learned that I am loving this exploring process, even though I get homesick on some days. It's so different here and it's really been a blessing to me and an eye opening experience to see options beyond Illinois. I'm proud of myself for the way I'm handling all of the responsibility I have right now. It makes me really excited for the things to come in the next few years! I keep having to remind myself that I'm only 19 and I have a lot more infront of me than I do behind me God willing. It's equally tiring and exciting to think about, but I am ready for the challenge! I go home to Chicago for the holidays on Sunday morning, just in time to see little women & go to a party! Starting my trip off strong! I have 4 11 hour days of school in between me & some much needed time off, but I am well on my way to being prepared for it! And I am SO excited for Christmas!

Brief

Okay so, I've abandoned my previous idea of DIY-ing my blog. Mostly because I was thinking about it and the idea was annoying me. Always a safe bet that if your own idea annoys you, it's probably not a good one. So forget all that.
I'm dealing with a lot of spiritual warfare right now. As I desire to be closer with God, there is an awful lot getting in my way! That makes perfect sense to me, but it's a total stuggle of flesh and will. I'm working on it.
3 weeks until Austin!

Holla for 25 dolla.

Awlllright. Most people probably wouldn't care much about this, but I love my jewelry so I do, and it is may blog after all!

My mom and I did our annual rounds at Heritage Fest downtown West Dundee yesterday, stops including a church rummage sale, craft fair, and antique sale. My favorites! I am happy to announce I walked away from the antique sale with these 4 treasures for $25! All real metals (I'm so allergic to nickel it's ridiculous), and all wearable pieces. The bracelets are '30s, the necklaces '60s and I am happy :) We also came away from the rummage sale with tons of crafting materials (frames, pillows, fabric, shoes, etc.) + one awesome find, a vintage fully opperational Singer in it's original sewing cabinet! $15. Love it.

We've been eating lot's of good food, and going to many-a-festival. It's been a grand birthday weekend for my Mom! We refer to her as mom 5.0 now that she's 50. It's really catching on... or it will. Ahead is a very full week of work that I am determined to get through. We shall see!
On the brighter side, after years of driving by, I finally visited Cafe Firefly downtown Algonquin. Good coffee, lovely prices!
Off to bed!

Flower Power & Paper Nails

My project from today!

The tutorial I used can be found here.

I changed it up from the original a bit using more color and adding a button to the very middle, because I love buttons and I thought it would make it easier to maintain the volume of the center. I also used a pillow that I already owned for cost reasons, and used a curved apolstery needle to attach the petals.

The grand total for this project? $0.00!
I used only materials I already owned, and it took about 3 hours! Definitely a nice way to spend a rainy friday afternoon!





I did/loved this idea! I tried to take a picture of my own, but my phone is not a super hero and I couldn't get a better picture than the one I found on pinterest.

Such an easy nail art idea!

Simply Paint a base coat (I did a nude), once dry soak your nails in rubbing alcohol and apply newspaper to fingers one at a time. Hold for 10ish seconds, peel off paper and love yourself for being so hip and happening. I recommend a top coat to finish it off, because the paper makes the base polish look a little dull. Worked out great!

I'm officially all deposited and moving down to Austin October 23rdish! I'm SO excited and a medium/large on the anxiety scale. It will definitely be an adventure, and life will definitely not be the same again. Can I say definitely again? Definitely.
I work a bunch next week... Mixed feelings. Atleast I am replenishing my bank account after the shopping I've been doing(it's fall after all...), and I have something to keep me busy. Life is good. I am blessed!

Ofcourse a baby would be on my blog.

Okay. I don't care who you are, this is adorable and it never gets less funny to me.
I love how much fun the little guy is having!

Revelation!

I've just had an exciting totally-thought-of-before-and-never-followed-through-on idea while getting ready for bed! In the month and change I have before I leave for the big TX, I have so much time to create... and boy are the juices a-flowin'! I'll hopefully be updating with crafty projects I'm working on as well as some of the many recipes I've come across as of late! Get ready for the delicious hipster blog that this is about to become.