As I've said countless times this past year, I've been thinking about this blog and where I'd like it to go. After trying new things, added new segments, and reflecting on what's working and what's not, I've decided to take some time to completely revamp this space and rebuild it so that it's tailored to the new direction I'd like to see it head in.

I started this blog as strictly a personal photography blog, and now I feel as though I'm trying to shove a design blog, a style blog, a health blog, and a college blog into that small space that I created, and obviously, it just isn't working. And I truly believe that stepping away to really think about what I need this space to be is the only way for it to get closer to becoming it.

So here's a general guideline as to what to expect when I return from this indefinite break:

• A new name that better reflects what I want this space to convey
•  A better, more organized design that allows all those different categories I listed above to fit in organically to the space
• A clear, streamlined manifesto that can be found in every post I create

Friends and family who happen to check in on me via my blog to see how I'm doing and what my world looks like currently, do not fret. I intend to maintain personal posts in this new space. I love making personal posts, it's something that I've always needed a space for. However, I've grown over the past couple of years and my goals are different and I feel as though I have more to offer than simply photography and writing. I pride myself on being a multifaceted woman; someone whose heart is filled to the brim with interests and skills and hobbies, and I feel as though at this point in my life I could really use a space where all those things fit in.

pinterest favorites.

fall bouquet | playful cutouts | rose & gold packaging | pumpkin spice oatmeal | modern invites | dining room

I've had a hard week. Like a really, really hard week. Like a "Can this week just be over already?" week.
I honestly can't even recall a more challenging week in my recent past. But today is Friday and I survived. Cheers to that. Here's a little extra inspiration to push me in the right direction because I know that I for one could use it.

early autumn light.

Just sharing some photos that have been snoozing in my camera for a while.
October, you are awesome.

pinterest favorites.

anthropologie dress | gold type | palette | jar of blooms | berry lipstick | glitzy mosaic

These September days are some of my absolute favorites. I especially find an extra bit of inspiration as I get dressed and dolled up for each day during this time of year. I love the endless possibilities of color combos and layers that these in-between kind of days provide. Simple blouses with tailored jeans. A statement necklace with a classic pair of flats. Blazers, cardigans, skirts, and dresses. Crisp clean fabrics paired with soft warm sweaters. A nautical navy blue contrasted against a rich warm gold. A carefree topknot bun paired with a sultry berry lip.

Yes, there is some kind of magic in the space where these two very different seasons collide. And I find as a woman of many facets, a lover of both modern and timeless, these in-between days are where I am the most comfortable.

my Pinterest.

ain't no time like fair time.

My boyfriend has been working a lot lately, so to spend some time together and reconnect, he took me on a date to the Mountain State Fair.

Blogging about my obsession with county fairs is becoming a yearly tradition it seems, and looking back at the pictures I took from last year I'm shooting myself in the foot for not taking my DSLR and relying on lower quality iPhone pictures, because WOW what a difference. However with that being said, this year we managed to hit up the fair on the special day when they were offering a "pay 20 bucks, ride whatever you like" deal so I'm thankful for not having to have worried about the safety of my Canon while I rode rides.

It was a little cloudy this year, but luckily the rain held off and we stayed safe and dry. All in all, we had a great time and I look forward to going again next year. I also now feel inspired to drop the iPhone a little more often and pick up my DSLR camera in order to capture more memories like these as summer starts changing into fall.

new mantra.

Just a little mid week inspiration for ya. I have had this little phrase stuck in my head these last few weeks as I slowly start to learn how true it really is. xoxo.

from the weekend.

Two of my girlfriends from high school came to visit me in Asheville, so this weekend was a nice and busy one. We managed to hit up pretty much every part of town worth exploring in just one day. Sometimes it's super nice to go to school in a heavily tourist populated place, because when friends and family visit I get to see the city through their eyes and fall in love all over again. We ate a lot of good food(I may or may not have went out of my way to get a frozen treat two nights in a row), shared a lot of laughs, and did as much damage as three girls can do while shopping(which, actually, is quite a lot of damage.)

In other news, I am dragging my feet on this Labor Day Monday because MY SCHOOL HAD CLASSES TODAY.

This is my official complaint.

I'm going to do laundry and take a nap.

Enjoy your holiday.

pinterest favorites.

DIY watercolor mug | dream hair | no grit, no pearl | snake candleholders | crystals | necklace

Today I started to really settle into my dorm room and college routine. Sundays are the best days for checking off those annoying tasks on your to-do list that you've been putting off all week, and today I did those things. I hung up bulletin boards and wall art, washed a load of laundry, wrote down the schedule for the group exercise classes on campus, and organized notebooks and folders for class.

Now I'm settling into bed with a cup of tea because I happened to catch the start of Beetlejuice just as it was coming on ABC Family. (um, SCORE.) I'm feeling ready for the week ahead and even more ready to start falling into some sort of a routine now that I'm back at school.

P.S. I'm also so looking forward to fall now that spooky things are starting to appear on my Pinterest feed. I love the warm, raw, gypsy vibe I'm getting from these pins.

my Pinterest.

updates: junior year.

Well guys, it's halfway through the week. I finally made it and I'm settled in to my dorm room for my third year of college. It feels surreal that I'm back at UNCA for another wonderful year, and I believe that this one is going to be the best yet. Things are already so, so crazy, but I am finding joy in:

These colorful latte bowls.

Getting more active on campus with student orgs.

My ridiculously vulgar and delightfully glittery pimp cup from my bestie, placed appropriately next to my party shoes.

Sisterly love.

My guy friends taking on the ice bucket challenge.

And of course, mountain sunsets.

photo session: stephanie.

This is my beautiful friend Stephanie. We met on the set of our high school musical back when I was a Sophomore and she was a Senior. We've kept in touch ever since, and when we made plans to get together one last time before she goes back to school in Wilmington, and I go back to Asheville, she had the wonderful idea to do a little photo shoot. She suggested the idea a while ago, but schedules and life and my terrible forgetfulness got in the way and we never really got around to it.

But I'm so glad we did eventually. Stephanie is one of those incredibly kind and inspiring people who make you wonder how there could ever be any cruel people in the world. She's got a big heart, along with one of the most photogenic smiles I've ever seen, so this little photo shoot was a blast. I am beyond thankful for the practice, and I can't wait to get my hands on more opportunities like this. I desperately want to get back into photographing people and friends, because it really is my favorite thing.

from the weekend.

Just a few pictures from the mini beach trip I took this weekend. It rained two out of the three days, so we couldn't really enjoy the beach much, but we had plenty of quality family(and shopping) time.

And for the record, I think there's something so incredible about the way the coast looks on a rainy day. Everything seems a bit more dramatic. Clouds are bigger and more impending. Greens are brighter. Grays are cooler and browns, warmer. It's almost like there's nothing in this world as dark and deep as the ocean before a storm. It's very extreme in the best of ways.

Overall, it was nice to get away for a bit before I face the stress of packing and moving back to school. I now feel refreshed and ready to take it all on and transition into a new kind of routine.

pinterest favorites.

lime & sea salt cleaner | call of the sea | healthy beach snacks | day dress | sorbet pineapple boat | watermelon lips

Currently:
Listening to my Third Eye Blind playlist while packing for a mini beach trip that my sister, mom, and I are taking this weekend.
Getting super pumped about the school year coming up. (First year of college, I was freaking out and feeling so not ready to leave home. Fast forward to my third year, and I'm jealous of my bestie/suite-mate who's moving in 2 days before me.)
Wearing super simple jewelry and comfy tees.
Loving a bright pink lip.
Eating my weight in raspberries.
Feeling very intrigued by that lime + sea salt all purpose cleaning spray, but also feeling pretty convinced I'd love it and that my dream house would smell of nothing else.

my Pinterest.

bedroom update: gallery wall.

This weekend, my dad helped me hang a gallery wall in my bedroom at home. I wanted a place to store some of the many, many pieces of art I've created and accumulated since high school. I also wanted to display a few gifts/souvenirs(rose print, sunset print, and Bob Dylan poster) that I've gotten over the years in a way that seemed intentional and thoughtful. I love the way it turned out. It's definitely NOT a traditional gallery wall with matching frames and synchronized pieces, but it feels very "Liz" to me. At a single glance, I can see years of memories and better yet, years of practice and improvement within my own art.

Some quick tips for hanging your own gallery wall:

• Plan it out on your floor or a big table before putting it up on the wall. This final format you see here is probably the twelfth combination I actually tried.
• Use pieces you already have and/or accumulate more pieces over the years. Buying a ton of pieces all at once from discount places can make your gallery wall seem kinda forced and stiff, rather than homey and personal.
• If you find yourself stressing about positioning each piece, keep it super simple like I did and create two rows of prints, aligning the bottoms of the first row and the tops of the second row.
• Consult Pinterest. (Duh.) There are pretty much billion resources available online for creating your own gallery wall. It's kind of a thing now.

tips for shaking summertime sadness.

After previously exclaiming how much summer is my jam, the immediate title of this post may raise some eyebrows but hear me out:
I love summer. That much is true, yes. But as a self-proclaimed summer-lover, I dread the feeling you get when August is approaching and the season starts dying down. It's just like the feeling you get once Christmas is over and you have to throw out the tree. So this post is dedicated to all those who are wondering where the heck their summer went. This post is also kind of a follow-up to how I was feeling in my previous post, and how to avoid those feelings described in it.
(Also, side-note, is it true that time flies faster and faster the older you get? Because I can't imagine it moving any faster than it's been moving since I started college.)

1. Go out in the sun. If you only have a minute, just step outside and really allow your body to feel the summer heat. If you have a little longer, go for a walk with a friend or your dog. Sit on the porch. Eat dinner outside if you have the space. Sometimes you don't need an entire beach vacation to feel like it's actually July.
2. Make a list of everything you've accomplished so far. It may just shock you how much you actually managed to fit into the season. Blog about it. Make a scrapbook of memories if that's your thing.
3. Print the pictures you took while on vacation or hanging out with friends and family.
4. Take a little road trip. If you only have a single day left on your calender that isn't completely planned out(heyyyy-oooo!), go somewhere nearby. Visit a nature museum or a lake that has free swimming. Go to a national park in your state.
5. Go out for ice cream one night. Everyone has a little bit of time left in their summer for this one.
6. Take a break from social media. Yeah, you stalking your cousin's vacation pictures from Florida isn't helping you make the most of your summer. If you absolutely can't keep away from the "inspiration," let 3191 Miles Apart be the only blog you check up on. Those ladies know how to do summer: simple, super easy, and carefree.

summer silence.

Sorry about the radio silence, y'all. I don't have an excuse. It's summertime, and I've been all over the place and that's okay. I'm trying to go with the flow and live each day as it comes. I'm in a really weird place in my life where summers aren't this huge amount of freedom like they used to be growing up, but at the same time, I'm not in any kind of routine. This is really hard for me, but so far I'm learning as I go what I need to fill my days with in order to feel fulfilled, and also what I don't really need.

I need productivity. I need to blog. I need to have school or work or something on my hands to keep me busy. I kinda need a little routine.

I don't need to live my life according to how I'm supposed to be living it. I've said all of this before, but it's something that I struggle with daily. I think anyone in my generation struggles with it at times, so shout out to you guys.
Scrolling through beautiful adventures posted by others in explicit detail on Instagram or various blogs, I'm constantly feeling like I'm not keeping up with everyone. My summer isn't "summery" enough. I haven't caught enough lightning bugs or gotten a deep enough tan line. I didn't wear enough neon shorts or took enough of the same pictures of the ocean. This sounds like a bitter complaint, but really it's a reality check to myself from myself.

I need to remember that life doesn't stop because the season does. Summers are fleeting, yes, but so are all the seasons.

I don't need to waste each one by not taking it all in, but I also don't need to waste them by worrying about whether or not I'm taking it all in, you feel me?

Here's a ton of pics from our annual trip to the mountains for my dad's birthday to make up for the silence. These photos are well over a week old, and I actually just came home from a trip to Asheville to see my boyfriend, and the short trip only made me miss it all more. As much as I'm always sad about summer ending, I look forward to going back to school and enjoying the fall. Another season, another chance to take it all in.

beachin' pt. 2.

Sharing the pictures I took at the beach from my phone as promised in my previous post. Honestly since getting an iPhone, I've been the MOST obsessed with having a decent point-and-shoot with me at all times complete with built-in editing and sharing apps. It's the best, and I'm pretty impressed with these memories I was able to capture on the fly.

Also, shout-out to the super awesome weather we had the whole week. Nothing but Carolina blue skies until the night before we left! We lucked out and I'm seriously so grateful.