Travel

I want to go so many places, but it's not easy. I want to plan in advance, but things change. I have no idea what I will be doing next summer. I really really want to study abroad, but I feel like that takes a lot of planning too. It will be worth it though. Planning stresses me out, but it shouldn't. I just worry too much unnecessarily. Anyways, I want to travel.

The top three places I want to go are:

-India

-The UK

-Japan

Where do you want to go? Where have you been?

19 Things:

1. Write a story a month (one down-I think it's acceptable to count the one I finished for c.w.)

2. Finish cd give back (4/12)

3. buy, photograph, and eat macarons (done)

4. 365 pictures: a year in the life of Mandy

5. start an art journal

6. take a pottery class

7. sew a dress

8. finish the memory case

9. make 8 gifts instead of buying

10. some form of street art

11. finally find the milkshakes

12. go thrifting

13. 5 city explorations

14. photograph 5 people

15. do what I fear

16. discover 5 new artists

17. apply for an internship for sumer 2011

18. plan a trip

19. give 5 just for fun gifts

Things I Am Looking Forward To This Summer

the country

candy+movies+sleepovers

traveling

projects

the park

photo-shoots

swimming

(I don't know if I took this or a friend did, but either way it's great)

eating good food

country drives

also: city explorations, new eats, friends, movie nights, dance parties, my internship, hiking, camping, hopefully a pottery class, sunshine, hammocks, late nights, kitchen floors, driveways, adventures, video games, feasts, family fun, freedom

I love summer

what are you looking forward to?

Ideas

My dorm room is quiet ugly with it's drab florescent lighting and marked up white walls. To cover up some of the holes and add some cheer, I decided to make an idea wall. There are always lots of things I want to do/make, so I thought this would be a good way to keep track of them all. Originally it was hung over the second bed (I live in a double by myself so there are two beds), but last night I decided to move it to over the desk.

I used color squares (inspired by Color Me Katie's use of color paper to cover walls) I had to add some brightness, but I still am not happy with it. I think I need brighter paper. For now it will remain like this (and honestly it will probably stay like this until next semester since I have only three more weeks here).

Do you have any tips on how to cheaply and easily pretty up a dreary dorm? I find that adding light (I have a desk lamp, string lights, a wall push light, a clip lamp, and a stand lamp-though I don't use them all at the same time) and posting paper, quotes, mail, and ideas to the wall seems to help.

Some of the ideas on the idea wall include:

-a year in photos (I plan on adding this to the 19 things list)

-keep a list journal (begun)

-make a memory case (begun)

-paint splattered leggings (I have a pair with paint smudges so I figured I might as well go all out with them)

-quote journal (in the works)

-inspiration pocket book (purchased but still blank)

-a story a month (failed, but will restart for 19 things list)

-clip board wall hanging (done)

-stranger/people photo project (aka project #1. Since the first person, I have photographed two people (though I am very close to them and not at all strangers). Sadly, that is all I have done. Maybe I'll put a challenge on my 19 things list to jump start this again.

This is my craft/project/challenge/create list. I add to it whenever I get idea, which means I don't work on all of them all the time. Some will be forgotten, but hopefully more than that will be finished. Either way, it's a nice way to remember all that I want to do, and to prompt me to get started.

My Dream Day

A few days ago I asked Zac what his ideal day would include. SInce then I have been thinking about it quite a bit (probably too much entirely). For now, this is what I conclude:

I'd wakeup in a white fluffy bed

Birds would be singing and a soft warm light would sneak past the curtains

I'd take a long relaxing shower and my hair would look wonderful

A dreamy dress would be waiting for me in my wardrobe (and it would fit perfectly)

Downstairs tulips would be waiting for me on the counter

For breakfast I'd have a tea party with someone (someone who I could talk to about anything, we would discuss, question, explain, narrate, and laugh)

Out to the mailbox I'd go to find several letters waiting to be read (maybe even a pretty package or two)

I'd go to the library to read the letters (in a winged leather chair) and browse books

After that I'd go out to the garden and take pictures of all the beautiful flowers

Friends would come over (and maybe even some people I don't know so well)

We would lunch lounging on quilts in the sun, play in the hedge maze, and I would photograph them all (and of course we'd eat macarons)

They would leave and I would return inside to write (preferably while sitting in a window seat)

Evening would come, a nice dinner with Zac

Then we'd ride our bikes down country roads to the old tree on top the hill

Friends would be there and we'd watch fireworks and the stars

Birthday Wish List

I love getting gifts. Is that bad? I love giving gifts too (if I think it is a good gift). In a little over a month I turn nineteen. These are some items from my birthday wish list:

Cox and Co Alphabet Stamps

Happy Tape

Divine Twine

An issue of UPPERCASE magazine

My art/craft/creating supplies are lacking. I am very excited at the idea of getting some fun gifts I can make things with. Plus, I have seen UPPERCASE around for awhile but have yet to get my hands on an issue. "The creative and curious," that sounds like me (and I especially love #5's cover)!

18 Things

Inspired by this (actually an older one), I made an 18 before 19 list last birthday. Nineteen is coming up quickly, so I am working on getting some more done. Today was number eleven.

18 things to do Before I Turn 19:

1. Save 3000 for Wimbledon

2. Sew a dress

3. Write 3 short stories that are good

4. Make a memories case

5. Go on a road trip

6. Take 100 non people/events photos

7. Summer Photo Challenge

8. Participate in a postcard swap

9. Discover 5 new “artists”

10. Finish cd a month plan

11. Write a story/letter/anything on the type writer

12. Watch all the movies on the movie list

13. Get donuts from that special shop

14. One tank trip

15. Learn a song on Guitar

16. Start Photo Wall Redo

17. Go Camping

18. Record my adventures

Things I have finished.

Things I have started and need to finish.

Things I have not started.

Some of the things I will not finish. Some will move onto the 19 Things list; some will not. It's not so much about getting these specific things done but getting things done. It's about doing. Today was number eleven. After some ink ribbon problems I typed my Wednesday letter on the typewriter. It was difficult, but it was fun to put the typewriter to use and to mark something else off the list.