Thrift Haul

A few weeks ago I went to the thrift store. It was really fun and relaxing. I used to go thrift shopping here all the time. I got some really great stuff this go round. When I go thrift shopping I go for a purpose. Sometimes it's for a certain item or style other times its for fabric. This time was mainly for sewing purposes. I got a lot of pieces I am going to convert or alter. Honestly, I don't understand how people have pieces in their closet that have been untouched. Having a nice form-fitting garment is the best experience!

I'll start with the shoes!

In my opinion, shoes can make or break an outfit. It is the first thing I go to when planning an outfit. Shoes are the one thing I can draw inspiration from. I feel like I could create a whole other post on the 'shoe first' theory, but for now we will stay here. 

You know those heels in the store that you see and realize you won't have anywhere to wear them, but they have your name on them and you really can't leave the store without them. Yeah they were at the thrift store. Also some brown sandals with cushioned soles. Who doesn't love cushioned soles?! 

Grabbed some great oxfords, unworn with great color and detail. Unfortunately they were too big, so I'm going to try to give them away. If anyone is a size 8-8.5 let me know. :)

And then my favorites! These black covered sandals are the best! They are trendy, comfy, and I can wear them with a ton of things. I'm really happy with this purchase!

As far as clothes go, mostly all of these I will alter. I've been searching for a pink skater skirt like this one for a while and I've finally found it! This skirt will need to be hemmed and taken in (easy peasy). For an alteration like that, I usually use a reference skirt of my own so I know where to cut. 

Then I found this soft green striped shirt. I immediately ripped out the ruffles so I was left with a more simple look.

When I'm shopping in the thrift store, sometimes I am looking for fabric and not just a style of clothing. My original thought for this was to make it into a jumper, but now that I've had it around, I might make it into a summer dress. Possibilities are endless.

A dress that only needs taken in a little.

I got this stripped top and polka dot dress for an inspiration project. I found a pin on Pinterest and thought, that looks easy enough. I'll try it out and see what happens.

Well, that's all from this trip. Until next time,

(Thrift Haul graphic by Katelyn Page)

Bad Hair Cut

I had a whole post written out today before I remembered what I wanted to talk about!

CHOPPING IT OFF.
Have you ever had a bad hair cut? I have the worst luck with haircuts and etc. One time it was cut like a little german boy. The next time a lady dyed half of my hair bleach blonde when I asked for an ombre. Then when I asked for it to be cut and colored, I got golden hair and a 12-year old hair cut.
Sometimes my life feels like a bad hair cut. Sometimes things suck and people don't help.
Last week I found myself really upset about my future. To be honest I'm not crazy about the college I go to and looking at my alternative options really stresses me out. These are major, life - altering decisions people. Like how am I supposed to know all of this stuff? Ok, I have a general direction. Well, I have about 5 different general directions. I get frustrated about this stuff because I feel like no one is helping me with this or cares. On top of all of my stressful future stuff, I was angry about my hair cut that costs way too much money and wasn't what I wanted at all. So I looked up a few videos and CUT MY OWN HAIR. That's when I realized, sometimes most times you have to take your own scissors and cut your own damn hair. Thats life too for me. Nothing gets done until I figure it all out, take my own scissors and make it happen. I like my hair.

So yeah. I've got my scissors with me. Watch out world.

Don't get me wrong, I don't have it figured out. I'm not even close to knowing what I want to do next. But, I know I have control and God's got my back so I'm good.

before

after

Tall Grass

Hello Internet! Long time no post. But I refuse to give up! I refuse to give in! I've had dreams and goals for my blog and I can feel them starting to take place (dances to beat of heart). So yeah I wanted to go back to where I began on this blog with outfits! I followed blogs before that were amazing, but all of the outfits had a price tag equal to my college tuition. That just won't do. I wanted to bring it back to show some online inspo and how I am adapting my wardrobe and using my non-existent budget to make it work. So Wednesday's will just be outfits and everything clothes!



Babydoll dresses are really popular this summer. Unfortunately I am too tall to wear things as dresses. Luckily ripped jeans are trending too so I can get away with these babies!

He didn't give me a chance to smile but it's alright because he smiling enough for the both of us. 

Shirt: Cotton On $5

Pants: American Eagle Jeans (3yrsold)

Shoes: Arizona Jeans Recent Thrift

Keep an eye out for a thrift haul soon! 

Coffee Monday: First vs. Second Semester: Freshman Year.

While looking back on my first semester vs. second semester, I see a lot of differences and various things I wish someone would have told me. Though, I did end up figuring it all out through trial and error. This actually resulted in a really easy semester to finish up my first year.

Some background knowledge: During my academic school year at Valley Forge I worked 15 hours a week. I took 16 credits my first semester and 18 credits my second semester. Now mind you, my college is fairly easier than many other universities so my minor adjustments might not be enough for those with a more intense workload and subject matter.

My first semester was tough. I've talked about this before in my post "Finding Joy" a few months ago. There were a few times when I just skipped all of my classes because I was so stressed out and couldn't keep up. Looking back, those were really weird feelings, which turned into really hard days.
-I didn't know how to organize myself or my school work.
-I didn't know time management would be such a big adjustment.
-I couldn't balance socializing with schoolwork very well.


My second semester felt so crazy. Everything was so much easier. I had taken 18 credits (6 classes) and as finals week approaches, I am not stressed at all. I had acknowledged my hardships and did my best to improve those.

I spent a lot of time on ways to become more organized with assignments. I would write them down on note cards and put them on my bulletin board on a weekly basis but that was tedious and I wasn't able to see ahead. Then I moved to creating a calendar from a blank piece of paper every Sunday to help remember my work. I went through so many months of methods until I found the one that stuck.

I started to actually use my planner.
It's actually quite the change when you look at one month to another. The switch between semesters is apparent.

This is how I made my life easier.
I learned how to prioritize, worked really far ahead, and prayed more. Thats it.

The first thing I did at the start of the semester was download all of the syllabi and write down every due date in the entire-month-view in my planner. This was where I could see what was coming up. I'd go into the week-view of my planner and write down everything that was due in more detail and cross these assignments off. This enabled me to see what was ahead and work towards that, while feeling empowered as I crossed assignments off my agenda.

At the beginning of the semester I dedicated Friday night to spend time (hours) in my local Starbucks powering through busy work. By taking quizzes and doing this filler work, I didn't have to worry about due dates and could free my time to work on bigger assignments. I think this was the most beneficial thing I could've ever done.

A senior told me my first semester that the best thing I could do was "jump ahead, don't chase."

I prioritized my work in the very beginning and worked ahead making, not only my academics easier, but my entire life.

It's important to give credit where credit is due. There are always days and nights when I don't think I'll make the deadline. During the entire process of getting my work done and working at a better semester, prayer was in the center.  "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6.

Hope this post can help someone who stumbles upon it. Can't believe my first year of college is almost over! Praise God lol.

Happy Monday.

Enjoy your coffee today.

-Em

Featured Friday: The Darling November Blog

It's that time of week again, Friday! Wow. So, we begin the featured Friday posting with my favorite blog! If you have to choose between reading my post and exploring her blog, go explore her blog. 

This gem is my best friend. Kate Page, the author and creator of darlingnovember blog, is my inspiration this week.

Kate is my older sister by 6-years, and somehow she is able to tolerate a friendship with her kid-sister. She, her husband Brooks, and dog Henry, reside in Seattle Washington. Every time I visit her and her family, it is always sunny! In Seattle, too!! I like to think it's because we are together.

Now let me explain some things about her. Kate is a loving soul with an adventurous spirit. I have always strived to be more like her. "...she laughs without fear of the future" (Prov. 31:25). Kate is fearless. She moved across the country away from everything familiar, that my friends, takes guts. Kate is badass. She doesn't make excuses when it comes to taking care of herself. Bouldering is a hobby. I watched as she worked hard putting hours in to become a certified yoga instructor. Which a few weeks ago became official!!!
She also has crazy amazing style (anthro lovers, follow her). She blogs semi-regularly about life, and includes her recent outfits which are always gorgeous. Someday my closet will be that nice, but until then I will just borrow her stuff. Sister benefits.

Kate has accomplished so much and doesn't disregard her passions. This inspires me.

Jungle Lion, I love ya.

-Em

You can ceck out Kate's blog at darlingnovember.blogspot.com and follow her journey as well as peek inside her closet.

Coffee Mondays: Busy!

Hello all!

It's Monday again?

Wowzas I am almost finished this semester. I realize that I have not been consistent with coffee Monday posts, nor have I even been drinking coffee! *Gasp*

So I have been so super busy lately.

During March I...
Went to Seattle
Did a ton of homework
Worked long hours
Invented new games
Visited home
Went to an engagement party
Spent time with old friends
Spent time with new friends
Spent majority of my time with Tom
Got a job for the summer
Looked at apartments with my best friend



Since April I...
Found housing for the summer
Ditched all summer plans
Started from scratch
Signed up for an internship
Explored Phoenixville
Took a walk in Valley Forge National Park
Went shopping
Did more exploring
Took a TON of pictures
Launched my new photography site.

Maybe give it a gander?

www.eaphotography.co

Featured Friday: Introduction

Yeahhhh! I'm starting a "Featured Friday" keeping with the weekday spinoff thing. I'm soooo excited.

On this day, I'll be posting a feature of anything/anyone that I find as an inspiration in my life that week. I'm super excited to start another segment of my week to blogging!

My objective with this devoted-day post is that I can get back into the fashion part of my blog, which started it all. Though often times I am more inspired by a person's uniqueness and individuality within their wardrobe than the actual clothes. Other times, it is simply the heart within the person that is inspiring and the way they carry themselves. With that being said, this could really go any direction.

A few years ago, I would find posts of street fashion that I would pull apart and use as outfit inspiration making it work with what I had. My hope is that I can begin to feature those inspirations and others can be inspired too.

We will see what happens.

Happy Friday!

Coffee Mondays: Valentines Day!

Wow! I'm reflecting on my Valentine's Day last year, I remember how even though Tom and my date night didn't go as planned, we made the best of some chocolate milk and Mulan.

Earlier in my Valentine's, I had a group date in town with some friends which was such a blast! We played some charades on our smart phones. We constantly had to keep quieting ourselves down so we wouldn't disturb the other customers around us.

After our awesome friends date, I came back to my dorm and got a pizza with Shana, my dorm neighbor. We watched Pride & Prejudice and ate food and chocolate covered strawberries and had fun. It was a really great as a prelude to my date night! The love festivities were everywhere this year!

I did not go into this year having high expectations (I am crazy that way). The week leading up to Valentine's Day, Tom's car broke down and we had just bought tickets for Seattle and blah blah blah. We are so broke it's not even funny.

We were blessed by one of our close friends who was able to make a Valentine's date possible. We ended up going to Iron Hill Brewery and it was amazing!

We were able to laugh our booties off while eating great food. It's relaxed times like that date when neither of us have worries or deadlines and can just enjoy each other's presence when I am reminded how amazing Tom is.

Though I am spoiled every single day, this was the best Valentine's day I've had so far!

xoxo

em.

Coffee Mondays: Finding Joy

Hello all! Welcome to Coffee Mondays on my blog. Every Monday, I'll be dedicating the morning to blog about life and whatever over a nice cup o' joe (or tea). This Monday I am focusing on my journey to joy!

Many people know that Valley Forge was not my first choice school, but it was the one I chose to attend. When I got here in the fall I had a hard time adjusting. Everything was difficult.

Adjusting was difficult.
I had been back from my two-month stay in Uganda for only two weeks before packing up my things again to begin my journey at Valley Forge. It was really hard being thrown into another foreign place with people I didn't know again.

Relationships were difficult.
With Tom, our relationship was based off of long distance and a week on constant interaction. We both did not know how to balance time together, with friends (for him lol I didn't have friends) and of course homework. Of course going to college with my best friend/boyfriend is awesomesauce, but man those first few weeks (months) were really hard.

School was difficult.
I had finished senior year with easy courses and departed straight to Africa for full time ministry. I did not remember how to manage time or be organized or anything really. I was also frustrated at the content of the classes because I wasn't being academically challenged.

After the first month or so I was tired of being miserable. I joined a small group and decided to seek God for joy. After all he was the one who brought me here in the first place. I ended up finding joy in a multitude of places.

Thankful. The first place I started experiencing joy was in my thankfulness. I began to look at positives of my school and thanking God for them. Also, I'd thank God for every little thing and person I'd come in contact with. I really began to appreciate my campus and surroundings more and more. It took a lot of prayer for me to overcome my own mindset and start seeing the good that was in front of me.

Now that it's my second semester I am balancing 18 credits easily and wish I could take more. The whole academically challenged thing hasn't changed. I am relying on God and have decided to be okay with whatever circumstances I am immersed in.

Just something small. Happy Monday!

Proverbs 17:22 
A joyful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.