A Mix of Things.

Hey y'all.

It's been far too long since I've given a substantial update.

I blame moving and stress and the lack of internet.

Yes, let's just stick with that.

Because it's (mostly) true.

Anyway,

I've missed you, little blog.

I wish so badly that I had a good camera right now 

so that I could show yall pictures of my room at the new apartment!

Not to toot my own horn, but I'm really proud of it because I stayed on a really tight budget and it's still everything I want. I'll post about that all in a separate post with bad quality pictures, 

but hopefully y'all will get the idea.

Settling into my new apartment feels fun and relaxing and also stressful at the same time.

I'm having some financial issues (I mean, who isnt?) but I know I'll make do.

I'm not sure what to say today. I feel like I have so much to say that I'm overwhelmed with my own thoughts. And I'll be honest-it's been hard to blog very positively lately. It seems that one thing after the other is thrown at my family, and I just watch as I feel like there is nothing I can do to fix things.

The good news is, life has completely put things in perspective for me.

I find myself getting stressed about really minute things that really don't matter.

Like, not having new clothes or not having a car.

While both of these things would be nice,

all I really want and need in my life is peace.

To be honest, I really am missing the days when I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Now it seems something is always keeping me up.

But, I'm doing my best to work through all of my family's problems in a healthy way.

I'm going to be turning in my application to volunteer at the Women Helping Women Shelter this week.

I've created a nice, cozy room for myself that relaxes me.

I'm reading a lot about things that help me to handle the anxiety I'm feeling about the problems around me. 

And I'm praying.

Praying for the things that matter.

Like safety.

and comfort.

and peace.

When I was in third grade, we had a whole lesson about economics.

One of the main points of the lesson was the difference between wants and needs.

Well if there is anything that I've learned, it's the difference between those two things.

I don't NEED a new dress or a new curling iron.

I don't NEED a 40 dollar pillow from pier one when the one on sale at Walmart does the job just as well.

I might want certain things.

But as long as I have love, safety, and peace, thats truly all that matters.

I'm asking everyone out there to send good vibes, prayers, thoughts, anything you've got to my family.

I swear that from now on, I will never take basic needs for granted.

I will never be so blind to think that I have it bad if I can't get the cute car that I want,

or if I can't furnish my apartment from Crate and Barrel.

Instead, I'm happy to have a roof over my head.

I'm happy to have a family who loves me, no matter what.

I'm happy to have Trevor, who makes me smile every. single. day.

I'm happy to have great friends who genuinely care for me, especially right now.

I hope that volunteering provides some settlement and peace in my heart.

Selfishly, I want that, because helping these women through these situations and knowing that I could be making a difference, might just make up for a fraction of what I can't fix in my own life right now.

Helping others is helping yourself. I hope I remember that, always.

That's all I've got for now.

I know this is a little scattered. 

I've been wanting to make my blog more focused, but I think, for now,

I'm okay with it being what it is,

because at the end of the day, I write this for me.

But I'm glad y'all are here too :)

'Til next time...

-C

Holy Moly. I hate moving.

Hey y'alll.


Holy guacamole I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted.

I've been without internet since I moved.

I'm posting from work right now when I actually have a million things to do.

Ahhh.



Good news though.

Cable/Internet guy is coming on Wednesday!

So please stay tuned because I have lots to share :)



Love.Love.Love.



--C

4 Simple Goals.

A few days ago when reading Lauren From Texas' blog,

I got inspired to make Four Simple Goals for myself.

These Four Simple Goals aren't supposed to be overly complicated or taxing.

They are just simple ways that will help to enrich your life.

Sounds good to me.

1. Make my health a priority. I usually try to watch what I eat and I was hoping to be a little more active this summer, but without the use of my school's gym (I couldn't afford the summer membership) it was a little more challenging than I was expecting. But come fall, I'll have a free membership again. A lot of times when I have a busy day or when I'm feeling lazy, working out and or eating healthy is the first thing I toss aside. So I'm making it a goal to treat working out like it's a priority, not an option. Really, I'd feel so much better.

2. Laundry. Y'all don't judge me. I'm awful at doing laundry on a consistent basis. 

I want to pick one day a week where I do laundry 

so that I don't have to spend my mornings getting dressed in a heap of frustration.

 Really, life would be so simple. 

3. Keep my home cozy and clean. I'm a pretty clean person, but sometimes when I let just a few things go, before I know it my room looks like a tornado has hit. So I'm making it a goal to clean as I go and maintain my organization from the start, so that it's less work and less frustrating in the long run. 

Really, life would be so simple.

4. Wash my face every night. Y'all dont judge me. This is one of those things that I too often blow off before bed because I'm too tired. But when I AM consistent about it, I notice such a difference. 

Really, I'd feel so much better.

What are your simple goals?

-C

Pardon.

Hi Everyone.

Pardon my lack of posting these past couple of days.

Life is chaos.

I'm gettin' it together.

I shall return tomorrow with news and lots of good stuff.

See you all then <3

-C

This weekend...

I wish I was headed to the beach...

Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to relaxation right here in Cincinnati.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend <3

-C

I'm cheap, ok?

As the move in date for my new apartment gets closer and closer 

 my mind spins more and more as to what I will do with my bedroom.

I'll be living with other ladies in the house, so while I know we're all excited about the whole apartment,

I'm mostly focusing on how I will decorate my bedroom since the rest of the decisions are ones we'll have to be making together. So! Without further ado, allow me to tell you my thought process.

I love all kinds of rooms. 

The only kind of decor that I can't really get with is the kind that's gawdy or super traditional decor that makes you feel like you can't touch anything. 

I like my environment to feel the opposite of pretentious. 

Clean, relaxing and cozy. 

I like the juxtaposition of putting old with new. I don't like things to match too much, so I never really buy "sets" of any sort, but rather just look for items that complement each other. 

Also, I'm a cheapskate. I don't like to spend a ton of money on fancy furniture sites because I am a firm believer in doing things yourself and I love to bargain hunt! It's part of the thrill for me.

When I started brainstorming ideas for my bedroom, I was so overwhelmed by all of the things I wanted to do! In living rooms and other areas, I definitely feel more inclined to take some risks and be a little more bold. While I found plenty of inspiration for bedrooms that fit this criteria, I couldn't quite picture myself sleeping in a room with an electric blue wall or anything too jarring. 

I actually kept being attracted to a lot of white, simple, serene rooms, like the following:

I kind of love the idea of my bed being like a big cloud.

Forgive me, I have no idea where I got any of these pictures anymore because I've been compiling them into a folder on my computer. Wooops.

I've always preferred neutral palettes because I like to switch out pillows, throws, and other textiles depending on the season. I love the airy feeling of a big white duvet but if you throw on a few textured, cozy pillows and a warm blanket at the end of the bed, suddenly it feels like a little winter retreat.

I don't like commitment, so this sort of style works well with me, you see.

My other current obsession is upholstered headboards with nailhead trim.

These are both from Restoration Hardware. AKA wayyyy out of budget. 

LUCKILY, I've found a bunch of awesome tutorials for DIY headboards just like this one. 

Here's one DIY headboard from Casa Sugar:

The original inspiration for her headboard was one from Urban Outfitters. It was actually a pretty good deal ($328.00) compared to most of the other super pricy options from Restoration Hardware that I posted which run you from about $2000, but she made hers herself for a mere $63.00! 

Upholstering your own headboard is actually a super easy DIY project, so don't be intimidated :)

Anyway, those are the thoughts floundering in my head. 

I'll keep y'all updated as the days go on and as I gather more items. 

Hope y'all are all having a good day <3

-C

For Everyone.

"For what it's worth...it's never too late, or in my case too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, start whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best of it, or the worst of it...I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that stop you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of, and if you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again."

-Benjamin Button