My New Room

Getting a redecorated bedroom in my house is kind of like a rite of passage. As my brothers and I turned twelve or thirteen, my mom would work with us to create our dream room! On my turn, I was real into the PB Teen matchy-matchy look, complete with the turquoise and brown polka dot everything. I did love that room! As I went through high school, I started to get rid of most of the polka dots and brown, and started to add some more pink and navy (my preferred colors) and it all started to kinda not match so much anymore.

But, last summer, I spent every dime (exaggerating) on dorm bedding and decor. And I didn't really have the time to contribute to designing a new room. So, over Christmas break, I sold most of my furniture and bedding on Craigslist, and started to plan for a fresh, new room!

I wanted it to be more "clean" and mature, since this will be the way the room looks until I move out for good. And, I didn't want a whole bunch of *stuff*. After living in a 10x17 dorm room, I was ready to not be suffocated by *stuff*.

The color scheme was based off of this print (she usually has a website but it's under renovation). I knew I wanted a lot of gray and white, but still with a few pops of color. And, just a fun fact about me, I really prefer navy over black.

Here are a few "before" photos that I took super candidly...

 Lots & lots of turquoise

My mom has been a huge help with this project! While I was at school this semester, she was painting the walls, hanging curtains, and assembling furniture. Every time I came home this spring, my room would have something new! 

And without further ado...

 My new room!!! I really wanted this room to be somewhat budgeted. I managed this by just avoiding any "expensive store". There isn't much in here now that isn't from Target, HomeGoods, Michaels, or World Market. My mom found this couch on a whim at HomeGoods and bought it before I even responded to her text. (And that's why we're related. :)).

A few tips about this room:
1. I've tried to compile a decent amount of wall decor over the past few years between my old room and my dorm. But, an easy way to save money is instead of buying prints off Etsy and having them ship to you, buy the downloads instead! Just go to FedEx and have them print the download on nice paper. You'll probably save about $25 on paper and shipping if you just DIY. (or if you're feeling fancy...go to dafont.com, download a font, and try to recreate a print!)
2. I hung most of the frames on the wall with command strips. That way, I can change them out as my taste changes.

3. Instead of buying pre-made, custom pieces, I tried to do as much of it as I could by myself. This was an old frame we had--I just spray painted it and covered the back with a piece of cork and some fabric I found online. Total cost was about $15!

 4. I had a ton of books in my previous room, so I tried to spread them out under lamps and bins.

 Color coded, of course.

 Bookshelf from Target! This shelf probably won't look so full once I go back to school as I'll take some decor items up there with me.

5. Also, I tried to avoid buying a ton of knick-knacky things to save a little money. The little succulents I found in the dollar section at Target!

 Floor-length mirror is from HomeGoods, and small mirrors are from Target. I don't love the way the mirrors look side by side in this photo, but the long mirror makes the room look so much bigger in real life. All bedding is from Target, except for the velvet pillows that were super cheap from World Market.

And that's my new room! I didn't want to include a ton of photos, just a few snaps. Comment below if you have questions about where things are from. 

The Pages Project: The Dollhouse

I'm back today with a third(!) post this week, continuing my Pages Project series. I think I heard about The Dollhouse on another blog...and not going to lie, it's been sitting in my "to read" pile since February. But, it was one of the first books I picked up for the summer!

Overall, I really enjoyed it. Other than a rushed ending (which I'll touch on later), I thought it was a great portrayal of history, while also including an aspect of modern fiction. The book is based on a hotel for women, called the Barbizon, that served as a place for women to stay in the 1950s while they were training for their careers. Half of the story is told through the perspective of one of these women, and the other half is told by a journalist in the 21st century. She lives with her boyfriend in the Barbizon (which now serve as condos) and discovers the fascinating history of these women.

If I'm going to read a historical story, I usually prefer it to contain some aspect of fiction, so The Dollhouse was a great fit. The one downfall for me was the ending--I felt the plot was at a good pace and the story was developing really well...and then all of a sudden I reached the climax and it resolved all in about 15 pages. And, the story switched to the perspective of only one character. I kind of understand that it had to happen, but it left me wanting more.

I did some brief research on the history of the hotel, and apparently one of its most famous guests was Sylvia Plath (author of The Bell Jar). She was mentioned a few times in the novel. You can tell Fiona Davis (the author) did her research, and it paid off in her storyline.

A new feature I want to include in this series is a difficulty level/preferred setting:
I would classify it as an easy read, not because of lack of content, but because it was so intriguing and left me wanting more every time I put it down. I would suggest reading on a long car or plane ride!

Thanks for reading, friends. Hope you're enjoying!

Memorial Day in Columbia

The much-awaited road trip to see Cate finally happened!! Since last August, we've been trying to find a full weekend that worked for both of us. The long Memorial Day weekend proved to be a winner!
If I'm being honest, I had been in a real funk the first few weeks of the summer. I had all these things I wanted to do,  new, creative avenues I wanted to explore, and so many trips I wanted to go on (and no money! #shocker) And I was just feeling kind of empty. But my time with Cate left me feeling full, encouraged, and inspired.

Upon arrival, found this girl in the yard photographing her roommate's new dog. we obsessed all weekend.

Artsy wall at a greenhouse

We actually cooked most of our meals while I was there! Feeling domestic, obviously.

Yes, they were actually organic.

Our big adventure on this trip was kayaking! If you've been following this blog for a while, you might remember that last summer we tried to be #adventurous and go bike riding in the middle of June in the heat of the day! That wasn't our brightest idea. However, this one was! I had the best time, the weather was good, and someone actually commented that we looked "posh, but in a good way."

Also, big things happened on this trip. Cate and I actually got a REAL photo together. Not a selfie. One of Cate's sweet friends, Ellie, grabbed the camera and took enough photos that we had significant options. Girls, you know what I'm talking about.

Memorial Day picnic at the lake

sporty gals!

My last day we spent "working" at the local coffee shop. Lots of creativity goin' on there, folks.

And then, we tried to recreate this photo of a girl wearing my same shirt.

Thoughts on La Croix?

We concluded the trip with a fancy GNO at a cool pizza place.

And we bought a key lime pie that we ate all of ! ha!

And again, we got some more photos together.

Thankful for this weekend of girl talk, sleeping in, laughter, and cookie logs. Can't wait for our next weekend together, sweet friend! 

5 Ways to be Encouraging

In a world where everyone is striving to be on top, it's rare to find voices of true encouragement--especially in the college culture. Many times, even an attempt at encouragement comes across as fake or un-heartfelt. I know that I've needed the most encouragement over the past few years. So today, I wanted to share 5 practical and easy ways to lift others up around you.

First, figure out why they're discouraged. Have they just had a few rough days at work, or are they going through a rough patch with their boss? Sometimes knowing the problem will help you know how to best encourage them. 

1. Send a note/gift

A note shows you care in two ways--first, with your words, and second, with your time. Personally, I usually feel the most encouraged with a few sentences saying something along the lines "I know you can do it!" Plus, I can carry those notes around for those really bad days. 

2. Just sit and listen

Sometimes, people just need someone to sit and hear about all of the hard times they've been going through. Don't feel required to offer a huge response; rather, maybe a "I'm sorry about all that, I'll be praying for you." Often, just showing that you're willing to stop what you're doing just to listen will mean the most. 

3. Find other people to encourage them

Maybe they feel like their work is inadequate; find one or two people that love their work and can genuinely commend them for it. Or maybe they're struggling through an issue with a parent or friend and you've experienced a similar situation. Sometimes knowing that others have gone through the same thing lightens the load of your problem.

4. Send constant encouragement

Sometimes, your friends will need encouragement more than one or two days. Send them a letter in the mail every day for two weeks, text them meaningful verses every morning, or even have flowers delivered randomly for a month (if you're feeling reallllly generous). 

5. Perform an anonymous act of kindness

And then sometimes you're just having a terrible, no good, very bad day. So you go to get your caffeine at Starbucks. And then some very great, incredible, very nice person behind you buys your coffee. And you just sit there in your car thinking, "It's going to be ok." It doesn't even have to be anonymous, but sometimes people are struggling and aren't telling anyone. Being on the receiving end of an act of kindness is so refreshing!

While writing this post, all I could think of was the children's song, "Encourage one another, and build each other up!" Challenge yourself this week to love on and encourage those who are close to you.

What are some ways you most feel encouraged??

Life Recently / Summer Bucket List

Hello friends!! Here today with a 'lil life update and things I hope to accomplish this summer. And I promise I'll have an actual post (not about my life) going up this week.

As of the end of this week, I'll have been home for close to a month, which is CRAZY. Not going to lie, the thought of going back to 16 hours of classes kind of makes me want to cry. But I really, really, really miss my people!! It's truly a shock going from living with forty girls on your floor to living with no friends at all. It's been a little lonely, actually. However, I'm trying to take the time this summer to rest and do all of the things I've wanted to do for so long, like read and watch Netflix. Yes, read people. I know it's odd.

So, what am I up to this summer?? Well, about 5 days a week I'm hostessing at a local restaurant, I'm taking an online class, and I'm trying to reestablish a gym routine. This summer, I really wanted to work at camp, but that's not what the Lord had planned for me. Despite the simplicity, I actually enjoy my job. It's a good pace for me and never boring.

In my free time, I'm trying to keep up with all my camp people via snail mail (post on that soon!!) and basically just doing whatever I want to. I really didn't prioritize many "fun" things this past semester, so this summer I'm trying to catch up.

And now for my summer bucket list!!

1. Camping/Glamping

hahaha everyone that knows me is laughing at this right now. We. will. see.

2. Go a new coffee shop/get coffee with a new person

There are a ton of local coffee shops where I go to school, but not many at home! I want to try to find a new one.

3. Have a movie marathon

hmu w/ suggestions!

4. Road trip to see Cate

Already checked this off the list!! Post coming soon :)

5. Host a dinner party

One of my good friends did this last summer, and we had the best time. I'm hoping to continue this as a new tradition. 

6. Go on a picnic

Any opportunity to purchase a cute picnic blanket!

7. Float the Buffalo

hahahaha again people are laughing. But I recently went kayaking for the first time and LOVED it. That same day actually some of my friends from home texted and said we should go and float a river near us!! Stay tuned to see if this happens.

8. Floral arranging

I really wanted to take a floral arranging class, but can't seem to find any local ones. I've seen some videos, though, and want to try it out!

9. Ride horses

One of my long-time friends used to show horses as a hobby and I would always love to go to shows with her (or tbh just live out my "Longest Ride" dream). I'm hoping we can go ride together sometime this summer!

10. Be creative

Any time I spend with Cate always encourages me creatively. I'm more of a computer/writing creative type, but she always inspires me to start some kind of project. Comment any suggestions you have!