I'm Terrible At Coming Up With Post Titles

I am absolutely terrible at coming up with names for my posts...but look! A real life outfit post! It's been like months I think since I posted one.  I bought an iphone camera remote and some discount store and I just couldn't help taking some photos with it.  I love it because I don't need someone to take my photos...but I can see the photos as I am taking them with the camera turned around...which definitely cuts down on my editing and going through photo time. I am definitely excited to play with my new toy.  I have been wearing mostly dresses that I made lately, including this one.  I also made my bracelet which is from Made New. I adore this type of dress.  Once I found a shape I love I really stick with it.  Over the weekend, I sold at a local craft festival, and it went so fantastic.  I spent the entire past week sewing.  It is basically all I did, so today I took a personal vacation day.  I thought about going for a hike, but I had to run a business errand this morning, so I just spent the day eating lunch with a pal and napping with movies.  I will probably end up taking a hike another day, because I desperately need to spend some time outdoors.  I have another festival coming up in two weeks, so I need to work on that as well.  Festival season is definitely upon us and I couldn't be more excited.

We Will See You Tomorrow

Today is National Suicide Prevention Day. It is a day and a cause that is very personal and very important to me, for a variety of reasons. No matter what your reason is for valuing this day, it is so important, and your reasons are important.  Suicide is a problem that needs to be addressed. It is a symptom of a disease. Mental illness and addiction can kill. I have seen first hand the toll that they take on your spirit. I know that I don't have all the answers, and this issue is bigger than any one person. However, if we all stand together, our thousands of voices will make a bigger impact than any one person. We all need to work together to bring about awareness and solutions.  We can all bring awareness to the people we come into contact with. Today is the day that we stand together and say that it is ok to not be ok.  So love you friends a little deeper, and hold your loved ones closer. Let's raise our voices together...

This past week, my grandmother passed away. She hadn't been doing well, and we all knew it was coming. When she was alive, she always told me that she wished that she could see the ocean. She never got to. At first, that broke my heart, but then I realized that by now she has seen every bit of coastline of every ocean in a way that we never will in our time on Earth. Her wish stuck with me for a few days.  I realized, I do not want to get to the end of my life, and have to tell my grandchildren that I wished I could have seen or done something that I hadn't gotten to do. I want to get to the end of my life and tell my grandchildren about that time I hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. There will always be naysayers. There will always be reasons...not enough money, not enough time, whatever...but those reasons don't matter. If your spirit aches for something, find a way to do it. If you want to write a book, write a book. If you want to open your own business, do it. If you want to skydive...you are without me on that one, but do it anyways. Find a way to do what makes your soul soar. Go and see your ocean, before one day you wake up and your dream became impossible. Make your soul come alive! 

In his book, If You Feel Too Much, Jamie Tworkowski writes that today is bigger than your yesterday. So I ask you to make it though your today, and bring your friends with you...and we will see you tomorrow. 

Oh and Grandma, thanks for inspiring me with your life and in your death...and I hope that the ocean was better than you ever dreamed it would be. 

Adulting

I was going through my photos today, and I realized that I never uploaded my vacation photos.  Silly Kayla.  Anyways, to prove to you the kind of person that forgets to upload vacation photos...I present to you photos of me that were taken in public.  I think that these photos are evidence enough that I am a mature adult who takes things very seriously.  It's just the average day when I purchase and wear a magnetic nose ring and take art very seriously.  

DIY Game Night: Marry, Date, or Dump

There is a game that is one of my favorites for sleepovers and game nights, and that is Marry Date or Dump. I got it at a garage sale, and it is I am assuming from the 90's, since most of the cards have celebrities from that time...we are talking boy bands and Friends here...good stuff. Anyways, after years of playing the cards over and over, I decided to make a sort of travel or expansion pack...with current celebrities that I loved.  This tutorial is a result of that decision.  Basically, all you really need is a box, some cards, and a pen.  You can pick up a box like this at just about any craft store...I preferred a box that had two compartments, but it isn't necessary. you really only need to keep the boy cards and girl cards separate.  I decided to decorate my box with a photo from an old magazine and some newsprint.  For the cards, you can cut your own, but what I used is called artist trading cards, and you can get them at most craft or art supply stores.  After you have everything together, just put three names of celebrities on each card.  I recommend putting together celebrities who have something in common, such as from the same movie.  Other fun topics are something like heartthrobs or hot messes. You can use whatever celebs you like, or those that you and your friends are most familiar with.  

When you are ready to play, you will need pen and paper.  The categories are marry date or dump, lawyer surgeon pool cleaner, parent sibling cousin, or anything else you can think of.  One player will draw a card and a topic...they will write down their answers.  After that, all of the other players will guess what that person put...for each answer you get right, you get a point.  All players will take their turn writing down their choices and having the others guess.  At then end, whoever has the most points wins.  This is such a fun game to play with friends, it always ends in laughter.  I know that when my friends and I play it we always end up taking breaks to debate the choices of the others, and why it was a terrible decision.  Don't take my word on how fun this game is, go and try it for yourself! 

*side note...the use of imdb and google images can come in handy on this game 

Lazy Lady's Mac & Cheese Pizza

As a part of working from home, I have been making a concious effort to not eat crap all day, and to actually take time to prepare real food for myself. Now, while this may be super unhealthy, it isn't microwaveable, and it isn't overly processed. It also doesn't contain meat which was a big goal of mine to cut out. Some ingredients are processed, but you will see what I mean. I saw this on the travel channel a few days ago and I just knew I had to make it. It would be pretty generous to call this a recipe, but I will tell you what I did, and I highly encourage you to try it.  Basically, you will need a pizza crust, processed cheese chunk (like velveeta), slices of provolone mozzerella, cooked macaroni noodles, and shredded cheddar cheese. To assemble the pizza...first spread the melted velveeta over the crust like a sauce. Next, add the slices of cheese. Finally, top with macaroni and shredded cheese to your liking. Now bake your pizza according to the intructions on the crust. When it comes out of the oven, add more shredded cheese and allow your pizza to cool. Finally, and this is the most important step...enjoy yo pizza. I suggest adding a side of netflix and soda.  

Brave

This is just a quick post before I head to bed with some Netflix...but I am loving this Brave necklace that I made for Made New and I may just have to keep it for myself.  I made several local deliveries of things that I made for my personal Etsy as well as for Made New, and then spent the evening playing card games at my grandmas. All in all it was a great day.  Tomorrow I am looking forward to cleaning up this amazeballs chair that I picked up at an estate sale. I can't wait to share some photos of it, and of my new studio space.  However, for now it's Netflix time.  I can't decide to re-watch The Skeleton Twins (which is easily one of my new favorite movies and you should totally check it out), or dive into another episode of Wet Hot American Summer....ah, the decisions.

Nashville Weekend Trip Guide

As I mentioned before, I was in Nashville recently for a quick weekend visit.  It was such a good time. It was a whirlwind, since we packed in as much as we could.  First, let's talk about the food.  When I travel, one of the big things for me is food.  I enjoy trying new places, and there were so many to try in Nashville.  Most of these places came recommended by both people online, and friends who lived there.  The first place we went was the Loveless Cafe. It was a breakfast that I would expect in the south, and it was well worth the wait.  I had a biscuit platter, it was all good.  However, I can't stop raving about the friend green tomato and pimento cheese biscuit and the hashbrown casserole, which you desperately need to try.  We also went to The Pharmacy, where their burgers and handmade sodas are beyond amazing.  I had a mission style burger and a cherry soda.  We all stopped at several food trucks, including Retro Sno, which was amazing.  We also did plenty of sight seeing, including broadway and an overlook of Nashville that was stunning.  We finished off our Saturday which swing dancing in the park, which I enjoyed mostly for the sightseeing and the live music.  I am not much one for dancing, or atleast when there is a specific routine to the dance I;m supposed to be doing.  It was such a great weekend.  I loved getting to spend time with my friend, but I also really enjoyed getting to see a little bit of Nashville.