dresser | mean girls quote | blue wallpaper | girls | metallic d'orsay flats | DIY face mist 

This week, I'm really focused on powering through assignments and projects without letting the stress get to me. I'm off to a good start, and I don't want to ruin my progress by falling into a slump as soon as the weather cools down. It's already starting to feel like early fall here, and I'm taking it all in and admiring the way things are changing, instead of freaking out about time moving so fast and winter arriving so quickly.

I'm on my way to the studio to work on a painting project, and I'm already falling back in love with color again. I spot lovely schemes everywhere I go, and I'm looking for more ways I can bring color into my life. Painting is #1 on that list, and getting back into the flow of art deadlines feels more natural to me than anything else. I'm looking forward to upcoming assignments instead of dreading them.

10 things.

1. hauling ASS this past week. I'm on such a huge back-to-school kick that I've been knocking out my to-do list like it's nothing. Granted, they are full of things like "sketch a canvas to prepare for painting, go to Target for pretty folders and mascara, and shoot an entire roll of film," but still, I'm pretty impressed with how hard I've been working. And even though it's really hard work, I've truly missed creating daily and being busy.
2. on that note, in my Photography class this week, we processed our film into negatives. This week, we'll actually be developing it into prints, but processing the film itself was so much fun. It was super tricky but so rewarding to see a full sheet of negatives I've taken and processed all by myself.
3. girls night out to say goodbye to our lovely friend Emma, who left for Spain today
4. on that note, my first moscow mule was consumed outside at The Southern in downtown Asheville underneath twinkle lights on a cool summer night (did I do that one right?? I feel like I did)
5. I only had to buy 4 colors for my painting class, and the professor provided us with 6! YAY free paint!
6. my friend Brandon turned 21 and all of our friends went out to celebrate and fun times were had. Yay college!
7. my only real homework to do this week is to color in half of a painting which consists of geometric shapes that I've already sketched out, so basically it's like adult coloring. I'm pumped.
8. despite my super hectic schedule, I accomplished my goal of working out 3 times this week
9. our new roommate Laura loved our other roommate's snakes so much, she bought a baby one. YAY BABY SNAKES!
10. after seeing the Halloween decorations at Michael's, the pumpkin donuts at Dunkin, and all of our gorgeous sweaters and wine-colored handbags at work, I am getting really excited for the fall, which is making the end of summer much sweeter than bittersweet.

moodboard monday.

banana ampersand | half moon shades | bathroom | DIY grid planters | no bad vibes | minimal nikes

I gave myself a week off from the blog last week to settle into my new routine now that school has started. So far, I'm feeling super inspired by the creative courses I'm taking, especially my black-and-white photography class, where my homework was simply to go out and shoot a whole roll of film in order to get to know our cameras better.

This semester, I really want to focus on just doing the work and not stressing too much about the things I can't control. I've been hauling ass all week trying to stay on top of my classes along with working part time, and the feeling I'm getting now is way more rewarding than the one that I've gotten after sitting on my couch and watching Netflix all summer. Right now, I'm trying to not focus too much on the overwhelming amount of work I'll be doing this semester, but instead to focus on how good it feels to pump out good work week after week. The days spent creating, brainstorming, planning, exercising, and becoming are the days I want to fill up my weeks from here on out.

10 things.

10 things I'm thankful for this week:

1. pool parties
2. mimosas outside on a Sunday afternoon
3. pickle popcorn from Trader Joe's (OMG SO GOOD)
4. this tassel necklace from my work, the perfect summer accessory
5. toasted coconut macaroon ice cream from The Hop
6. toes in the water at Ledges Park
7. thin crust veggie pizza, homemade by Lonnie
8. cashmere vanilla shaving cream
9. dat refund check from school
10. enjoying the last little bit of summer vacation

moodboard monday.

macramé lantern | donuts | neon ice cream cone | salted watermelon margarita popsicles | bright summer style | blue bathroom tile

Next Monday, classes start so this week marks the last week of summer break. Instead of spending the week totally bummed out, I want to allow myself to indulge a little this week. I expect lots of sleeping in, eating donuts, drinking white wine, spending afternoons outside to soak up the late sunshine, and wearing bright happy colors. It is still summer after all, and just because I'll have a schedule full of classes, it doesn't mean fall is here already.

It also doesn't hurt that my semester coming up will be full of art and new media classes. I've been on a huge creative kick lately trying to get pumped up for what is sure to be a design-heavy school year. I love the way that as a creative, once I start to open my eyes and pay attention to the world around me, everything starts to be inspiring. I'm finding colors and textures everywhere, and in consequence, I've been cracking open my art journal almost daily to practice sketching and painting with watercolors in order to hopefully gain back some of my skills in time for the painting class I'm taking. I haven't had a traditional art course since freshman year, so I'm worried about embarrassing myself during critiques. Luckily for me, photography and painting are my comfort zones, and getting back in the practice of both feels so natural and rewarding.

10 things.

10 things I'm thankful for this week:

1. journaling my way out of a terrible mood I woke up in (it's so true that writing things down really helps put them in perspective!)
2. getting along with our new roommate! He's moved in and has two pet snakes, which have found a nice home in the living room. I'm obsessed with them, and I love having little friends to keep an eye on in the house since we're not allowed to have cats or dogs.
3. feeling some summertime sadness after realizing that there's only one week left before school starts, and then immediately going outside to workout instead of going to the gym in order to shake the sinking feeling. I went to a nearby park that has access to the French Broad River (and also a killer view) and just ran around and did squats and lunges until I absolutely wore myself out. I ended up WAY overdoing it and was so sore for three days straight (I literally had trouble walking up and down stairs), so I guess it was a success.
4. wearing this silver bracelet with my gold boyfriend watch and feeling so #fresh
5. buying Lonnie a cookie cake for his birthday (we both prefer it over regular cake) and therefore having a cookie cake in the fridge practically all week
6. working mostly day shifts this week and feeling good about not wasting the day waiting on dreading work
7. Lonnie and I have been working our asses off on making the apartment feel more like a home. He hung some pictures in the living room (also a super chic #surfboard) and a mirror in the bedroom, and I've been keeping things tidy and refusing to let the dishes pile up.
8. dealing with a stressful situation by going for a run (always so thankful for workouts)
9. margaritas with salt
10. finding out that the photography class I'm taking this semester is actually a black and white film class and the old 35mm SLR camera I already own is exactly what the professor put on the supplies list. I'm so excited for the excuse to break it out and start shooting film again, since I've actually been meaning to do this all summer.

camping trip.

As I mentioned in Monday's post, Lonnie and I went on an overnight camping trip for his birthday. We decided the best camping method for us was to drive around Pisgah National Forest and park at one of their several roadside camping areas, which meant that we wouldn't be in a campground, but we also didn't have to hike to get to our tent-pad and fire pit. We ended up finding a really good spot, with enough space to park the car off the road closer to the tent. The site was close to a babbling creek, which we later found out was more than likely a part of a larger river that we could easily access by driving a few minutes down the road. Our site also had a trail we could hike, and there were plenty of other trails nearby.

S'mores were assembled and eaten, and hotdogs were grilled over the fire. The weather the whole trip was some of the most gorgeous we've had all summer. Yellow monarch butterflies breezed by as we set up camp and gathered firewood. At night, fireflies started to appear one-by-one and the stars tagged along. The main focus of the trip was to get away from the city and the traffic and the people, and in that sense it was a total success. Time passed without knowing what hour it was. We didn't have any service, so the only photos I took were on my camera and none were shared on Instagram. Instead, we shared quiet moments together, listening to the stream and the cicadas.

Looking back, this little camping trip highlighted that sticky-sweet deep summertime feeling that really only lives in the tail-end of the season, and I'm so thankful for that. Living in the mountains for this past summer has been very different than the others I've known growing up, the ones spent at the beach and by the pool. This summer has felt less like a big long vacation and more like summer camp, especially with it being my first summer not living at home. None of this is bad, especially considering that I never went to summer camp as a kid. Overall, I'm thankful for the ways that I've grown, been bit by the adventure bug, and gained independence, and this little weekend getaway was just what I needed to take the time to reflect on those things.

moodboard monday.

expectation vs. appreciation | pink rock | loving touch | more rosé | summer uniform | linen dress

This past weekend was Lonnie's birthday, so to celebrate we went on an overnight camping trip. It was so much fun and I loved getting away to spend some quality one-on-one time with my man. I'll share more pictures and details later, but for now, I'm feeling inspired by the laid-back, easy vibe that goes hand-in-hand with a weekend in the woods. I actually didn't wear makeup all weekend (normal for most people who are camping, but if you know me at all, you're probably staring at your computer screen right now in total shock because I always, always wear makeup...even to the gym), and in doing so, I grew a new appreciation for leaving behind everyday routines and comforts. It was definitely freeing to shed that second skin, splash some refreshing spring water on my face, and just run along without worrying about how I looked or having Lonnie wait on me to get ready. This week, I'm looking for other ways I can shed unnecessary routines or products in an attempt to find a little more freedom in my day-to-day life. I'm looking forward to wearing soft, easy fabrics, dainty jewelry, and maybe even skipping eyeliner or foundation.