I Finished the 100 Day Project!

I did it!!!! I have completed one hundred days of hand-lettering! Wow wow wow! To celebrate the completion of my 100 Day Project, I made another one of my hand-lettered quotes into a free printable! You can download it here.

Isn't this quote so true? As I get older and accumulate more years to look back on, I only relate to this quote more and more. For one of the first times in my life, I am finally old enough to be able to look back and reflect on how I've changed over the years, and I can even guess at the things in my life that have caused those changes. I don't really know how to describe this, but it feels like I've finally been "conscious" long enough to do so. I know I was technically conscious as a kid, but it was a different sort of consciousness. The first entire decade of my life provides no "scope for reflection", as Anne Shirley might say.

Elise Joy (a blogger that I totally love!) recently inspired me to sit down and make a five-year plan. Who do I want to be in five years? What do I want to do? It was actually quite exciting to think about it. I mean, five years ago, I was only fourteen years old!! And five years from now, I'll be twenty-four!! I'll be done with college! Just think of all the things that are going to happen between now and then. What kind of twenty-four-year-old will I be? What kind of twenty-four-year-old do I want to be? What kind of life do I want to have? What kind of friends? What kind of job?

See? It's fascinating to dream about the future. And analyze the past. Looking at the person you were and dreaming about the person you want to be. Those are things only the years can tell you.

Recent Reads

I love an excuse to talk about books, and this blog is the perfect excuse! As you probably know, I'm trying to read 52 books this year -- one for every week of the year -- and somehow, I'm still on track with my goal! Week 27 is ending today, and I've read 28 books so far. I am currently reading The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan. I've been reading Riordan's books since I was in 6th grade. His Percy Jackson series will always be one of my favorites. That series is largely responsible for helping me develop my love of reading, which, believe it or not, was nonexistent until around 9th grade. So, even though Riordan's books are below my reading level now, I still faithfully try to read his new books (which he cranks out like crazy!).

Now onto books I've already read!

A Catch-Up

 

It's officially summer break! I feel like I was the last student on Earth to get out of school (that's the quarter system for you), but now I'm ready to enjoy a long, relaxing summer.

It has been a crazy last few days for me, so I decided to write a quick catch-up post. My last catch-up post was in December, so its time for another one! Besides, I love writing these because they are so unstructured and I can talk about whatever I want, whether it all relates or not!

Last Thursday, I moved out of the dorms!! I never really thought past the first year of college, and now I have moved out of the dorms and have been promoted to the status of sophomore. Wow! The moving-out process was pretty intense. It was so insanely crowded and there was virtually no parking. We had to carry all of my stuff from my dorm down to the parking lot in 100° heat. (To be honest, I actually only took one load down to the car. My dad did most of the hard work! That one load was enough to make my arms sore the next day though, so I don't know how he did it!)

Ceramics Update!

A few weeks ago, I shared a 100 Day Project update. Today I thought I'd talk about my other current creative project -- ceramics! In this post, I mentioned that I was going to take a ceramics class this quarter. Now, the quarter is just about over and I have had so so so much fun with ceramics! It has been such an exciting new experience! I loved it so much that I'm planning to continue with ceramics, either over the summer or during fall quarter. I haven't decided yet. What I have decided is that I haven't had enough of it! I feel like I have officially gotten the hang of it now -- the wedging, the wheel-throwing, the carving, the glazing. I actually can't decide which step of the process is my favorite. I love it all! It is such a meditative, relaxing, rewarding hobby.

Quilt Inspiration

This year I made a few of what I decided to call "Bullet Point Resolutions". They are little, random things that I want to make sure to do this year that don't really have anything to do with my main resolution. For example, a few of my bullet point resolutions are drinking more water and reading more and exercising.

Also on that list is starting a quilt! Even though we're already in the fifth month of 2017 and I have yet to get a good start on this one, I still fully intend to do it. And, besides, I have made a little progress. I bought my batting, for example, and practiced quilting techniques with some smaller projects. I'm planning to complete the bulk of my quilt this summer.

The main thing I've done in preparation is search for inspiration. Since making a quilt is going to be a relatively big project in terms of money and time commitment, I want to be sure that I am happy with the result. For me, the hardest part in this process is going to be making the decisions. I'm okay with the cutting and the sewing, but its picking out the fabric and choosing the pattern that are the most daunting steps to me. To help in this process, I have collected a few images of quilts that I like so that I can start to get a feel for what I want mine to look like. I thought I'd share some of my inspiration here. (I've included sources to all of the quilts below!)

Recent Reads

So I was planning to write another catch-up post (like this one), where I talk about what I've been reading, listening to, watching, eating, etc., and I practically wrote the entire thing, but as I neared the end, I started to realize how much of it was about books. So, as I struggled to come with anything interesting that I've been doing lately besides reading books, I decided to just start over, admit my life is boring, and give in to the temptation to write a whole post solely about books. Also, since I'm in the midst of finals week, I didn't have too much time to put into this post, so I had to settle for this picture I took last summer, when I was reading The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, which is still one of my all-time favorite books, by the way.

I never before realized just how much I liked reading until this year. I mean, I knew I liked reading, but suddenly I'm super into it. I always thought I was a slow reader, but that's just because I didn't read enough. I think it's mostly because high school was way more stressful for me than college (go figure). Now that I have more mental energy, it's easier to find enough focus to read instead of mindlessly watch TV. So I'm trying to take advantage of this relatively less stressful season in my life to read as much as possible. Whenever I go to the library or Barnes and Noble, I always tell myself, "You need to read more! Look at all these books there are to read!!" After all, my to-read list on Goodreads has 72 books on it... So now I'm making an effort to read as much as possible so I can get to as many as I can!

SECOND BLOGIVERSARY!

It's March 8th today, which means that this blog just turned two!! Remember my first blogiversary? Well, I've kept up my little cake-baking tradition. I love baking cakes, but I never have a good reason to do so. But for this occasion, I baked chocolate cake and yellow cake and used this checkerboard cake tutorial from Brit + Co. I think it turned out pretty good and would use it again!

Like I said, I never have an occasion to bake layer cakes, so I'm a bit of a beginner when it comes to making and assembling them. I was supposed to cut off the rounded tops of each layer so that they were flat and the layers stacked neatly, but I couldn't bring myself to waste all that cake! So, the cake may be shaped a bit oddly, but there's nothing that rainbow sprinkles can't fix!

I've been playing around with the idea of changing the blog up a little bit, either by redesigning the website or renaming it, or both. It's sort of like when you first get a new lock screen for your phone, and its fun and you notice it every time you turn your phone on. But after a while, it gets sort of old and boring. That's why I want to shake things up a bit. We'll see what I come up with, but for now I just wanted to pop onto the blog real quick and celebrate my second year of blogging!

Hope your week is going well! I'm in the middle of the ninth week of winter quarter, so finals are coming up soon, then I'll be off on spring break! I'm looking forward to having a bit of time off before returning for my last quarter of freshman year.

So here we are. I've already had this blog for two years and I've already almost completed my first year in college! As Gretchen Rubin said in The Happiness Project, "The days are long, but the years are short." I couldn't agree more!

19

Gosh, I've never ever procrastinated so much on a blog post before!! But I have also never missed a Sunday, so here I am, cranking out today's post before the day ends! I think I have an okay excuse. My 19th birthday was last Thursday and my family and I spent this weekend celebrating both mine and my mom's (we share the same birthday!). So basically, I've been too busy having fun to sit down and write this post! But I finally opened up my laptop, poured myself a cup of tea, and sat down on my bean bag chair to write it.

As a fun birthday-themed post, I thought I'd share 19 random things about me, since it's my 19th birthday. It was actually really fun to put together this list. I love answering fun questions, like picking a favorite ice cream flavor or choosing what you would spend a million dollars on. This post kind of felt like that! So here goes:

Kanken Backpack Review

Today I'm posting something a little different: a product review! Specifically, I'm going to be talking about the Fjallraven Kanken backpack, which I've been using since December. I'd wanted one for what felt like ages and now that I finally have one, I'm happy to say that it's as great as I thought it'd be!

I think I should start by saying that I have a bit of a backpack obsession. I just love them so much! I can't really explain it, but backpacks are just one of those things that are so much fun for me to buy. I also love looking at everyone else's backpacks while I'm walking or biking to class.

Over my many years in school, I have had lots of different backpacks, but I think this one takes the cake. It's more unique than your basic JanSport backpack and comes in so many fun colors (granted, mine is gray so it's not like I went too crazy).

Printable Hagrid Quote

 

Is it really February already?? I can't believe we're in the second month of 2017. I just finished week 5 of winter quarter, which means I'm halfway done with freshman year! College flies by much faster than high school did. Yet somehow so much has happened!

I really liked creating my last printable quote so I decided to do another one! This one is one of my favorite quotes from the Harry Potter series! Worrying about the future does not help. The best thing to do is let it go and deal with whatever it is if/when it happens. This quote reminds me of another quote I saw in a shop once: "Worrying works. 90% of the things I worry about never happen." I worry about things that don't even end up happening! And even if they do happen, they usually aren't nearly as bad as I'd made them out to be in my head.

So if you are anything like me and worry way to much, take this wise advice from Rubeus Hagrid. (Find the printable version of this quote here.)

Printable Vincent Van Gogh Quote

Wow. This week has been really crazy for me! I'm finding that this quarter I definitely have a lot more schoolwork to do, plus I'm in the middle of apartment-hunting with four other girls in an extremely populated college town with a very low vacancy rate for the first time ever away from home. So I'm a little stressed and sleep-deprived, but the post I planned for today was very fitting for the week I just had. I love this quote because it makes everything, even big things, seem so much more manageable. Just by doing a little bit each day, you can achieve big things. This is also a great quote for any who are starting to fall behind a bit on their New Year's resolutions (guilty!).

This idea definitely helped me in high school and it is still helping me in college. It's amazing how much easier everything seems when you only have to do a little bit each day. Like if I have a big paper to do, it may seem overwhelming, but if all I have to do that day is brainstorm or write the introduction, it's suddenly a lot easier.

If you like this quote, you can find the printable here. It's 8.5" x 11" so all you need is a standard piece of paper (cardstock is even better, though optional). I hung this quote up on my bulletin board in my room and it's a great reminder.  I hope it inspires you as much as it inspires me!

My 2017 Bullet Journal

It's official -- I've hopped on the bullet journal bandwagon! In case you haven't heard of bullet journaling before, this article from Real Simple explains it pretty well. Basically, it's a compilation of every list you might need: grocery lists, wish lists, To-Do lists, book lists, chore lists, etc. You can get artsy with it or keep it simple. The bullet journal is customizable and flexible. It can be whatever you need it to be. 

The photos in this post were taken before I went back to school, and my bullet journal has since filled up a lot more, but I think you'll still be able to get the idea. So, without further ado, let's start the tour of my 2017 bullet journal!

My Word of the Year

Happy 2017! It is currently New Year's Eve as I type this. I'm sitting by the fire, about to watch Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with my family. My mom, sister, and I made our annual trip to Barnes and Noble to buy our discounted 2017 calendars, I've started my bullet journal (more details on that later!), and, of course, I've chosen my new word of the year!

I listened to Elise Joy's podcast episode on choosing a word, looking for inspiration, and decided to steal Elise's 2016 word, enough. There are so many ways to apply it. The main ways I'm applying my word is:

I am enough.

I do enough.

I have enough time.

The first statement, I am enough, is to remind me to be myself and not worry about being more "funny" or "pretty" or "smart". Even though I'm not perfect and there are, of course, many ways I can improve, who I am at this time is enough and there's no need to drive myself crazy trying to be perfect all the time in order to impress people.

The second statement, I do enough, is all about realizing that I don't have to do it all. I don't have to participate in a dozen clubs, have a part-time job, take 21 units per quarter, get straight A's, and play intramural sports. Of course it's good to get involved, but it's also good to get enough sleep and have some free-time.

Last, I have enough time is a challenge for me to find the time for things that I think are priorities. The only reason I say that I don't have time for something is because it's not important enough for me to spend time on it. I always make time for things I really want to do, because they're my priorities. So I need to realize what my priorities are, make time for them, and let go of the rest. 

So that's what I'll be working on this year! Happy 2017! I'm excited to see what will happen in the next year. After 2016, I can only imagine what exciting times are to come. 

A Catch-Up

Hello! It's me! (Anyone think of the Adele song just then?) No, but really, it's actually me. This is the first post in a couple months that hasn't been pre-scheduled. That's because I'm officially on winter break and have finished my first quarter of college! And wow, has a lot happened. I will definitely give you the run-down on how my first quarter was and show you pictures of my dorm room (that's my dorm room above, by the way), but for now, I'm just going to write up a simple post sharing little things that I've been loving lately.

What I've Been Reading
Actually, I haven't read a really good book in a while. The last few I've read have only been mediocre. I think the last really good book I read was The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. It was a different sort of book, in a good way. I liked it a lot.

What I've Been Listening To
So many things! Firstly, the most recent One Republic album came out a couple months ago, in October. I've listened to it so many times! I think my top favorite songs are Future Looks Good, Born, Better, and Human.
Also, I've been listening to the Hamilton soundtrack nonstop. I was a bit late to this bandwagon, mostly because I didn't really get it. I didn't understand why people enjoyed listening to the soundtrack of a musical that they will never see in-person. I was mistaken. It's so good! I didn't have any trouble following the story. I also discovered these videos (1 and 2) on YouTube and have watched them multiple times!! (Just skip the long Obama speech at the beginning.) They're even better if you've been listening to the soundtrack for a while, then you get to match the voices to the people and they look way different from how you imagined them (at least, that's how it was in my case).
Okay, last one. The Serial podcast. I finished Season One and am halfway through Season Two. It's basically a crime show in podcast form. It's very entertaining, and it's a true story.

What I've Been Watching
Honestly, I've been watching a lot of YouTube and not a lot of TV or movies. Besides Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, of course. If you haven't seen it, you must! I've been on a renewed Harry Potter kick lately. I've reread the first two books in the series and am starting on the third. I've also become very fascinated by J.K. Rowling. I didn't realize what an interesting person she is! I've watched all three of these interviews (1, 2, and 3) on YouTube and found them all super captivating.

What I've Been Smelling
That might have sounded a little weird, but I had to find a way to share one of my favorite little things about the Christmas season. Every year, right after Thanksgiving, I get out my Bath and Body Works Twisted Peppermint lotion. I love this scent. And since I only let myself use it during December, the scent reminds of the holiday season. You know how a smell can take you right back to a feeling or place? It's like that.

It's good to be back on the blog. And a bit weird! I must admit it was nice to have a post go up automatically every Sunday morning without me even thinking about it!
I'm so glad to have my first quarter of college under my belt and am looking forward to spending a whole month with my family, enjoying Christmas! Hope you're all having a great, and not too stressful, December so far. See you next week!

My Favorite Etsy Shops Part 3

Here we are at the last installment of this series (the miscellaneous edition)! What a perfect start to December, the gift-giving month of the year! If you're in need of some one-of-kind gifts (or just want to treat yourself to something this month), this is the post for you!

My Favorite YouTubers

Hello and happy (early) Thanksgiving! Is it really that time again? I don't have a Thanksgiving-themed post for you today, unfortunately, but I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends (and lots of food)!

Today, I'm going to share seven of my favorite YouTube channels with you. YouTube, in my opinion at least, is one of the greatest facets of the Internet. It can teach you practically anything, allow you to upload your own videos for free, and, perhaps most importantly, provide a source of endless entertainment. Whenever I'm painting or scrapbooking or doing anything that only requires a fraction of my attention, you can bet I'm watching YouTube videos.

My Favorite Etsy Shops Part 2

Today I'm back with another round-up of my favorite Etsy shops! This one, just like part one, is centered around stationery. (Part 3, coming up, will be a collection of miscellaneous shops.) There are so many creative, talented people out there in the world, and so many incredible Etsy shops. Here are just a few of them. 

Artists I Love

I recently read Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon and it was one of the best books I've ever read on creativity. One point he makes in the book is that nothing is original. We can't help but be influenced by one another, building off each other's ideas and work. Austin Kleon included this quote by Jim Jarmusch in his book:

Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from - it’s where you take them to."

I love the thought of collecting ideas and weaving them into your work, whatever your work may be (art, writing, music, or something else entirely). Another quote I loved from Steal Like an Artist is this one by Wilson Mizner: "If you steal from one author, it's plagarism; if you steal from many, it's research."

My Favorite Etsy Shops Part 1

Etsy. It has expanded like crazy since it began in 2005 and now has over a million sellers and over 25 million active customers. That's a lot of people! I love Etsy and even have my own shop (check it out here!), so I decided it would be fun to start a series featuring my favorite Etsy shops. Since I have so many favorites, this series will be posted in three parts throughout the next few months. The first two parts are going to completely consist of stationery shops (since those are my favorites!) and the last part will consist of other miscellaneous shops I really like. But first, as a bit of a disclaimer, I want to say that I haven't actually purchased anything from these Etsy shops (unless otherwise stated), though I would very much like to someday! 

10 Things I've Been Loving

It has been so long since I've done a favorites post, so today, that's exactly what I'm doing! I love sharing little things that I've been enjoying and this post was really fun to put together. There are so many things I could include in this list, but I narrowed it down to ten. Let's get right to it!