Thursday Word: Proverbs 11:28.

"Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf." Proverbs 11:28.

via my flickr.

Words from the wise. Ish.

It's 12:40pm on a Thursday. Ethan just woke up.

We both have so much schoolwork to complete today. Oh, procrastination. You seemed like such a good idea at the time.

Maggie deserves more media coverage.

A cat who needs no introduction.

Photos from closing.

"Women and Wallace," by Jonathan Marc Sherman, is one of the best one-acts I've read. It's by far the best I've been in! Our one-weekend run kicked off Saturday and closed yesterday. I have so few photos from the whole thing that it kind of depressing me. My beautiful and talented castmates are practically nonexistent in my photos. But here's some photos from post-closing.

I played Sarah and Katrina played Wallace's Grandma.

A really weird photo of my handsome boyfriend and me.

My father (and my bouquets), my brother, myself, and my other brother (aka my friend Andrew).

Ethan snapped this of me as we waited in the In-N-Out drive-thru. He decided to take me out after the show!

Check out my huge forehead. So nice!

And again. Still waiting for food.

Anyway, we chowed down in my car and saw a movie. Did you know "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" is actually one of the most entertaining films I've seen in awhile? I feel like everyone went to see "UP" but this movie was sort of overlooked by people who aren't little kids or parents (we were the only people from our age group in the theatre - more power to us!). It was hilarious. And so cute. Go see.

Anyway. I am exhausted. That is all.

In living color.

via Rifle Design.

I absolutely adore these wedding invitations by Florida-based illustrator and designer Anna Bond. She just makes the cutest hand-painted artwork and perfects that hand-drawn script... Envious!

How do Boyfriend and I look in cartoon-form?

Stole this from something I'm working on: my very first illustrated invitation (not for a wedding, but maybe one day...). Don't let the pros fool you - this stuff is hard to do! But it's so rewarding to see your your scribbles become art, and I'm pretty happy with the results so far. I should finish it tonight. Can't wait to print it out and send them off to all corners of the United States! And in a couple weeks, I'll be able to post the finished product here.

How boring was this for you guys? Probably really.

Thursday Word: Isaiah 53:6.

"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6.

via my flickr.

I love a good party.

I wouldn't have minded being a guest at this Oh Joy! stationary launch party. Check out the photobooth photos and that cupcake tower! Too cute!

Photos by Max Wanger via Oh Joy!

Chow time.

Why am I pigging out recently? I ate about a million cookies and other assorted foodie badness last week. So this week I'm seriously trying to get over these poor eating patterns. In the meantime, however, observe my meal from our Sunday family dinner at Los Altos Grill.

This is cornbread in a skillet. Yep.

A delicious center cut filet with garlic mash potatoes and brocoli.

Shared desserts of Oreo banana cream pie...

And the most delicious ice cream sundae with candied walnuts and Scharffen Berger chocolate sauce (with an additional mini pitcher for more pour'age... I died).

Yeah, I didn't eat the cat. He's just deliciously cute.

Family dinners are awesome. The minute we sat down my parents said to my brother and me, "Okay, guys, we're going to outlaw texting for the next two hours." Yes, I love technology - always and forever.

I'm delirious, you guys.

News from the big world.

While I'm stuck inside using my day off to write six pages worth of midterm-related essay, my mom is out and about. Just received the following text from her.

Mom: "So it's Senior Day at Ross. Ten percent off. It's packed. Announcement over the loudspeaker: 'If you're driving a maroon Ford Taurus, your driver's side door is wide open.' Seniors! Gotta love 'em!"

Excuse me while I laugh. Okay, I'm done.

Nom nom nom.

Mehhh. I was going for cute curls but ended up with eighties hair. I tamed it for the most part, I think.

I love food. And I have to deal with the consequences of that fact. Anyway, although I'm a foodie, I'm not really one for Asian cuisine. So when Ethan told me he wanted to take me out for Japanese food, I was skeptical... But I ended up loving it!

Check out dis cutie!

Before the meal, Ethan taught me to use chopsticks - something I had never been able to actually do. And guess what? I successfully used them the entire time! Even for my rice. I was so proud.

First impression: "Diet Coke in a mini glass bottle? I LOVE THIS PLACE!"

Kicked off the eating extravaganza with some goyza, which are Japanese style potstickers. So delicious!

Some Miso soup and tsukemno. This soup was a little too seaweedy and the veggies a little too pickled for my tastes.

My chicken teriyaki. Which was to die for.

And, lastly, shrimp tempura - Ethan's fave.

We were stuffed. And yet we jetted off to the movie theatre to watch "Whip It." Afterward, Ethan owed me an apology because he thought it looked dumb and I thought it looked awesome. Our verdict? It was awesome.

Great night.

Inspiration.

via Once Wed.

How sweet is this "Just Married" banner (not to mention those handmade tissue-paper pom-poms!)? While I'm not getting hitched any time soon, I'm a lover of bunting of all types, especially hung on twine. Lovin' these lace doilies with letter-stamped burlap layovers. Let's just say this has served as inspiration in the genesis of my fall dinner party which, cross your fingers, should occur next month!

Bad week.

This week I really just felt like curling up into a ball and sleeping. Like Sonny.

But instead I baked these cookies (best ever - in fact, I might be fixing another batch tonight).

Wrapped up some gently-used books of mine as a congratulatory gift for my little brother Tucker...

Because he got his driver's license! :D I waited until I was eighteen to get my license. I'm cool.

And I finally finished a letter (if you've ever received something from me in the mail, you know that it almost always entails artwork) for a friend. I hope she doesn't see it here since I haven't actually sent it yet... HA.

What's going on with my life? I feel dazed and confused.

Not too shabby!

IHere are my dress designs for Shappy Apple Dresses - a wonderful little company specializing in the production and sale of beautiful and tasteful dresses for all occasions! Just can't get enough of their "flirty" collection. I really can't get enough of any of their collections. Too amazing! Anyway, I enjoyed creating these - first, drawing the designs free-hand on some croquis; then scanning them to the computer in order to add color and pattern in Photoshop Elements. So rewarding to see them come together! It's a long shot, entering this contest at all, but it's worth a try! Regardless, I'm happy to share my ideas with you. :]

Anyone who knows me knows that I love all things retro, with a special penchant for the 1940s and '50s. :] With these eras past as my inspiration, I worked to modernize my favorite classic silhouettes with more current twists, like a waist belt or a bold pattern. I also took into consideration the projected popular colors for spring and asked myself the question: What do I want to wear this spring? These are my results.

Design 1: A simple teal jersey dress with a ruffled neckline and a bubble hem, paired with an elastic waist-belt with a metallic clasp.

Design 2: A cream-colored airy cotton-spandex sailor-inspired shift with slate-colored satiny detail and pockets hidden within its a-line skirt.

Design 3: An attached blouse-and-skirt dress with a structured floral skirt. The silk-cotton blouse includes floral lace-embroidery detail and a matching fabric belt loops around the cotton skirt's waist.

Design 4: Inspired by Maria's dress in the classic West Side Story, this ivory linen-rayon frock features an a-line skirt along with a few contemporary alterations, including an empire waist, a lace-embroidery yoke with button detail, and half-length sleeves.

Design 5: A cotton-poplin faux-wrap dress in coral with a thick empire waist with a cream rosette detail.

I don't really know if I'm breaching the parameters by including several of my designs. If so, Shabby Apple people, just pick yo fave. And the rest of you - check out Shabby Apple and see what beautiful items they already offer! I'm tellin' ya, if I weren't a broke college student...

I'm sorry, what?

Okay, people, I'm really sorry to subject you to another post filled with self-absorbed complaints, but the fact is: blogging, by nature, is self-centered. Nevertheless, I apologize.

Cos really, I need to vent. I try, try, and try, but nothing's going my way, guys. Numerous opportunities offered to me and then subsequently pulled right out from under my nose. A lack of support from my friends - heck, a lack of friends. I don't get it. What gives? I guess it's safe to say Somebody's got other plans for me. But right now those plans look about as appealing as bathing in a bathtub full of nails.

Thursday Word, Tuesday Edition: "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 2:19.

So here I am. Consider this my boast, cos I really don't know what else to do at this point.

Who doesn't like a beautiful wedding?

I'm a sucker for beautiful wedding photos. Yesterday, my favorite Smitten blogger Joanna Goddard began posting photos of her lovely August wedding, all shot by Max Wanger - my favorite photographer. Fancy that! Too much good in one wedding.

I'm in love with this program by Rifle Design's Anna Bond. So amazing.

See more images everyday at A Cup of Jo. Check out more amazing Max Wanger shots on his website.

Didn't Joanna look beautiful? The dress! The hair! The love! Can't wait to see more. :]

A shameless plug.

Just a little publicity for the one-act I'll be performing in later this month. We're blessed with a wonderful director and an awesomely talented cast.

See that third pair of legs from the left? Yours truly. The photo was actually shot by yours truly, as well. It's going to be used on a poster but I don't have access to that poster at this time. So here is my version because it's better to get the word out sooner than later.

Come, if you're in the area, friends!

A bit of nostalgia.

Did anybody see the amazing "Lazy Sunday" as performed by Andy Samberg and Christ Parnell on "Saturday Night Live" a couple years back? Well, senior year of high school, one of my best friends and I set out to create our final video project for our Economics ("Economix," for the rillest g's) with the profound digital short as our inspiration. I wrote the heart-warming lyrics and we worked collaboratively on the concept, while another friend tackled the cinematography. Enjoy.

It's Friday!

Today I am struggling to make the decision whether or I like or dislike it when someone smells overwhelming of laundry detergent. On the one hand, their clothing is undoubtedly fresh and clean. On the other hand, I feel like my head is stuck in a laundry machine.

So I know it seems pretty self-absorbed to post photos of myself... that I took... And I will probably regret this later. But you know what? This blog is boring and the few readers I have (yes, I know you're out there) deserve some sort of visual interest. Right? Right. SO HERE GOES.

This is me. And my dog. More technically, this is a photo of me and my dog, taken from below, making me look incredibly peach-shaped. C'est la vie.

The lighting of these shots, taken about an hour before the above photo, is so much better. Ahhh. Okay. This is me with some pretty clothes on and a cool hair do. It's a braid headband. I wove it of my own hair. Still attached to my head. Quick, easy, and perfect for those days I don't feel like showering. Like today. My shirt belonged to my mom in the 70s. My belt is a thrift find. My necklace was a gift to me from my best friend. My skirt is from Target, and so are my shoes - which I own in multiple colors. The best everrr.

So I may do this from time to time when I've nothing better to do. Alright, that's enough for this evening. :] Have a splendid weekend!

Thursday Word: 2 Corinthians 5:17.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17.
via my flickr.

A snippet of cuteness to get you through the day.

For my acting class we were assigned the challenge of an interview exercise. We assigned five set questions to ask our subject. We were to record our interviews. Later in class, we will reanct the interview - playing the part of the interviewee. So we'll memorize their words, perfect their vocal patterns, and attempt to recreate the scene. Pretty cool, right?

Well I conducted my interview today, recruiting a dear friend as my subject. I'm excited to try to reproduce her interview, since she provided some amazing answers to my questions. When I asked her "What do you think happens when you die?" she giggled before responding, "Well. I remember when I took my first plane ride, I remember I was really confused why I couldn’t see any angels in the clouds. I thought, Maybe we're just in the wrong place...'."

What an ingenuous sentiment. So sweet! Lovin' it.

So off I go. Lots of homework to do. And, to be quite honest, television to watch. Don't judge me!

Life as of late.

Welcomed fall by baking pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (I usually make them in muffin form but I'm more of a cookie girl anyway, so this was a welcome change).

And then packaged them up for Ethan and his roommate (although I don't think they ever made it to said roommate).

Goodbye, regular season baseball. Witnessed a wonderful Giants game, nonetheless.

Ethan spent the night in my family room and I woke him up with eggs and honey-slathered whole-wheat biscuits. I'm that homey. The biscuits were delish. I maybe ate five.

Lots of ups and downs lately. Rejections, acceptances, exciting offers. Confusion and hopes for the future.

Lots of thinking to be done, my dears. In the meantime, I leave you with this: I have dreams of a fall dinner party, complete with apples and pies and coziness and so on. We'll see if that comes to be.