apocalyptic preparations.

i can almost taste the apocalypse now.

[radioactive: imagine dragons plays somewhere in the distance]

little letters.

dear new yellow galoshes...i love you.

dear sky...please rain.

dear friends...my giant reece's, mustache cup, and pretty wall decoration were perfect gifts. you know me well.

dear 2012...you're going to be the best year ever, i can feel it!

dear anthropolgie tea cup...i'm somehow okay with my sudden obsession with tea now that i get to drink it from you.

dear mom...watching lord of the rings with you is funny (his name is "saruman" not "sour man").

dear list journal...so much i love you.

dear hair...you've gotten way too long. after getting caught in someone else's teeth the other day, i think it's safe to say you need a little trim.

dear january 27th...you scare me. college audition AND interview on the same day? *can't breathe*

dear column awards...thanks for nominating the scrooge costumes for an award, this makes me happy.

dear applesauce...when all other foods fail, i know you're there for me.

dear passport...i'm ready for an adventure.

go team raoul!

we are an obsessed group of people when it comes to phantom of the opera.

we have t-shirts (designed by ME).

we sing the songs...mimicking the voices...in public places.

and have debates on the true nature of the characters.

and i've no shame in saying...

GO TEAM RAOUL!!!

*ducks*

:)

who's team are YOU on??

weddings should be colorful.

i attended a wedding last week and wore this:

colorful right? flowered dress. green tights. oxfords. whabam!

guess what everyone else was wearing......

black.

the bridesmaids. the guests. even the photographer!

why....?!

i think weddings should be colorful.

like this:

p.s. my mother and i are working on a super dee duper awesome secret surprise for this summer. it is such a lovely plan and i simply PRAY it turns out! i'll let you know more as soon as i can!! :)

hello summer :)

summer OFFICIALLY started for me today! 

i had my last class this morning and am finishing writing papers this afternoon. 

so i guess *technically* it begins tomorrow. 

but those are mere details. 

even though summer has only begun for me today...that hasn't stopped me from already starting with the summer-esque activities. 

such as:

being with friends.

going to see plays.

reading a book outside (on my new AWESOME mat).

and wearing bright colors.

hello summer!! :)

this week starts a new chapter in my life with the completion of my final high school class and the beginning of the internship with casa manana. i must tell you...i'm scared to death. but, hey, just keeping up with my "one scary thing a day" goal (not really goal...it's just happening like that), right? 

pictures and stories. because they're the best.

these past two weeks have been INSANE! and when i say that, i mean it in the best possible sense...! take a look:

closing night for music man. i kind of love mixing patterns.

costume stores before the play began. i am in love with those ridiculously awesome changing rooms!

tell me this looks like a dolphin cloud. i think it's so FUN!

my twitter followers can attest to my agony in wondering about a certain "secret admirer" rose i received friday night. oh who oh WHO could have sent it?! (MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN!!) 

a true sign of summer beginning is when the snowcone stand opens (HURRAH!) and you get cake in class (WITH YOUR NAME ON IT!!). must i tell you how excited i am?

oh, star gazing after striking the set. bittersweet.

these past two weeks have been crazy, but these past two days...even crazier. it all started friday with the biggest crowd we've ever had at a JOY show. such excitement! and afterwards, an exciting trip in an antique elevator that included it getting stuck, a lot of screaming, and a hoarse voice afterwards. it may have only lasted a minute...but it felt like a lifetime. 

the next day began with some intense prayer time. there is no greater joy than praying with good friends. what could follow except the best performance of music man ever? afterwards, the arrival of some very dear friends (the shannons, of course) to see the final show. opening scene. a cast member gets sick. dreadfully sick. after a few songs we had to stop the show. an early intermission was called. and the echoes of prayer and praise to God was heard all throughout the backstage. if anything, it drew us all closer to the realization we can do nothing without Christ. and then the even bigger realization of God's mercy and love when our fellow cast member was energized by the Holy Spirit. 

God is good.

we finished the show. got a standing o. took down the set (all hands on deck!). and headed to my house for star gazing, hot chocolate, sweets, and, best of all, some epic swing dancing. after which there was quite a bit of talking and laughter until the wee hours of the morning (4am to be exact).

today was even crazy as i drove with my mother to casa manana to the intern/apprenticeship orientation and free seats to the matinee of wizard of oz that was showing there afterwards. i am so thrilled to be working there this summer in the costume department. i mean, they have a whole trailer dedicated to FABRIC and another to shoes and wigs! have you heard of anything so grand?

saturday night ended one chapter in my life, and today began a new one.

what does God have in store for my life?

i cannot wait to find out!

5 happy things - royal wedding style

the royal wedding...oh what a fairytale-ish day...

no i did not wake up at 3am...that's what DVRs are for. 

however. i *did* watch as much as i could the second i awoke!

sigh.

what a beautiful event!

priceless.

that TRAIN!!!

this is the sweetest thing.

b&w shots...sigh.

 i LOVE the grace kelly-esque of kate's dress! oh my goodness!

what a fairytale...

singing contest.

two saturdays ago i attended a singing contest (of sorts). basically what you do is prepare 3 classical songs and when you arrive at your specific appointed time (mine was 10:03...how fun/exact is that?), go into a room that has three judges (other voice teachers from texas), and you have eight minutes. you choose your first song, they choose the rest. 

my experience was fairly easy, and though i didn't get a high enough score to go to the next round, it was an awesome experience! i'm so glad i got to go and try something new. 

lately i've been all about trying new things. i have a really big problem with nervousness. and my legs were violently shaking throughout the entire process. however. i did not die, faint, or forget everything. and it's something i can add to my list of experiences.

anyways...these are the songs i sang at the contest! if you get the chance you should look them up on youtube or itunes...i LOVE them! :)

Se tu Mami, Giovanni Battista Pergolesi

The Singer, Michael Head

Adele's Laughing Song (from Die Fledermaus), Johann Strauss

p.s. the contest was right before the cotillion that evening. check out my day to evening transition! just took off the belt and let down my hair. super easy and convenient!

costume for the day - yellow and polka dots

i got some headshots taken by the AMAZING michaella elliott a few days ago. SUCH fun...and she took some full length shots as well...so i thought i'd share my outfit with you...even though you've seen every piece i'm wearing before :)

blouse: mother's closet

skirt: thrift

tights: mother's closet (hehee)

belt: thrift

shoes: corina's boutique (LOVE!)

and i just think that this is the best costume for the day :)

how to style - "cable car tour" dress (look two)

remember my new modcloth dress?? and remember my promise for different styling options?? HERE'S LOOK TWO!! :)

it was my mom's idea to head over to the old, abandoned mansion in my town. there's some very big secrets about it...and it was very exciting to take some pictures in front of it. there were so many PRIVATE PROPERTY and NO TRESPASSING signs...we were both a little nervous about being there.

i wore my "cable car tour" dress with:

red short-sleeve shirt (underneath, not pictured).

red sweater.

black tights.

and my new grey oxfords.

p.s. modcloth featured my first look on their tumblr blog!

we be cooks. hair curlers. & shoppers.

during atlanta's visit we had a grand time shopping, baking, and hair styling...to name a few. but i must say...the end results were oh-so pleasing! we found some WONDERFUL oxfords (pictured above)...which i've been aching for, for the longest time! also, a vintage dress, more shoes, a pretty purple dress, leather journal, etc.

as for baking. well. may i just tell you that peanut butter brownie truffles are possibly one of the best, richest desserts around?? my word.

also. we experimented with pin curls. they turned out really awesome. i'm kind of addicted to curly hair now...such a hassle...but wonderful end results! totally worth it :)

the oh-so-lovely anthropologie. etc.

 my dearest friend atlanta was able to come over this last week and we had SUCH a wonderful time. everything from a trip to anthropologie, getting to see "the king's speech," exploring barnes and nobles, antiquing, CHICKFILA, old movies, world war two reenactment, baking, crafting, more movies, late nights, secrets, the DPS, and A BIG HUGE GINORMOUS SURPRISE (which some of you read about HERE)!! i don't really know how it's possible to share each bit with you...but i sure will try!

DAY ONE:

chickfila.

anthropologie.

outside the movie theatre.

we had some nommy chicken and ice cream at...none other than chickfila! then headed over to the amazing, lovely, and beautifully wonderful anthropologie store. oh my word. i could just spend hours in there. we tried on quite a few things, i must say. 

after that we got some starbucks at a barnes and noble store and went to see "the king's speech." we were a bit hesitant to see it...because of it's rating: R. however, holding our ears in one scene, and it was one of the best movies ever! i loved absolutely everything (save that one scene) about it. i could write a whole post with my review...but i'll end it here saying we thoroughly enjoyed it.

that night we started...dum dum DUM...downton abbey.

i really, really wish you didn't have to always say "it was awesome except for that one scene"...but that comment applies to this movie as well. BUMMER! but still...i love it.