I start a new job tomorrow! For those of you that weren’t already aware, I’m a recently graduated education major with an emphasis in Secondary Education English/ Language Arts. In other words, I went to school to be a high school English teacher. I finished up my teaching internship right before Christmas & have been actively seeking a position ever since. Well, good news! I just got a job as a middle school (!!) English teacher at a local charter school. I start tomorrow & I’m terrified beyond belief. I don’t know what to expect which is what scares me most of all. I can only go into it “expecting the unexpected.” That’s essentially the best advice I’ve received on the subject thus far.

As a result of these recent events, I’ve decided to compile a list of things I tend to do when I’m stressed. Perhaps, if nothing else, it will help keep my mind off of tomorrow for a few minutes & maybe be something pretty for you all to look at. So, without any further ado…

Things I tend to do to avoid freaking out:

1. Watch cute Youtube videos. Some of my favorites at the moment include…

Kitty Maru is so determined to get in that dang box! It inspires me to keep trying! Hah.

I love this video because the little boy is just too cute for words. I love how he starts to nod his head & get into the music before … raging. Hahaha.

I love this video because it’s cute too but in a different way. There’s also that added supsense — are they going to make it? Watch & find out

Continue reading Things I tend to do to avoid freaking out.

It’s warming up outside (& by “warming up” I mean it’s 31 degrees farenheit). But, more importantly, the sun is finally shining again! This change in the weather has inspired me to put on a skirt for the first time in a long, long while. And, I’ve decided to photograph the outfit in order to pull it up as proof that I do in fact own a skirt– if I should ever have to plead my case in the future. The boyfriend, my friend Jennifer & I have a date to go see the movie Avatar (in 3D IMAX!) later today. So, I thought I’d wear something a little different rather than opting for my typical jeans/hoodie combo that I seem to have been living in lately.

Cargidan & layering tanks: Gap
Denim skirt: Target
Gray Tights & knee-high navy socks: Target?
Brown leather boots: DSW (Brand is Diba)
Bird House Charm Necklace: Urban Outfitters (Click here for detailed pictures)

Hope you enjoy the sunshine today as much as I intend to!

Why is it that adding balloons to any photograph seems to create instant magic?

{Credit: 1. Untitled, 2. untitled, 3. Day 98 – balloon happiness?, 4. love balloon, 5. serenity, 6. learn to fly, 7. you stole my heart away, 8. Returning to the same ocean., 9. I’ll Give You All I Can…}

{credit: photo by Gabriela Camerotti | quote by myself}

(P.S. Argh! It was brought to my attention that there was a typo in my first quote! I’ve since fixed it. That’s what I get for creating these things so quickly without proof reading. I hate when that sort of thing happens. Anyway, sorry about that!)

The buttons! The ruffles! I’m tempted. Oh so tempted. What say you?
[Dogwood Ruffle bag from SweetgumHandbags for $55]

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My life has been essentially put on hold for the past two days as a result of the “white death” that has visited Cincinnati. I don’t mind at all. Personally, I think it’s quite nice. I am taking it as a sort of vacation from reality. My cat Atlas (pictured above) & myself have been busy cleaning & organizing the apartment. Alright, mostly I’ve been doing the cleaning. Atlas has been supervising the situation closely though. Yesterday I did all my laundry & have been attempting to clean out my closet & organize it in some manner. I was kind of stumped because I couldn’t figure out how to go about organizing. Should I organize by color? Type? I had no idea! I decided upon organizing by type (sweaters, button-ups, cardigans) & then by color as much as possible. This is what it ended up looking like after I was done:

What I have come to realize about my wardrobe after cleaning/organizing my closet:

1. I wear A LOT of stripes & cardigans. I need to stop buying these items.
2. I need more pants/trousers for work. I haven’t bought any proper pants for a long, long time.
3. I need more shoes. I also need to get rid of some of my shoes that I’ve been holding onto for too long.
4. I have a lot of different pieces that don’t work together. As you can see above, a lot of my closet is comprised of colors, stripes, & patterns. It makes it difficult to figure out what to wear.
5. I need to start simplifying things & working on building up my professional wardrobe by adding pieces that will work together & be versatile.

Looking for some more closet inspiration? Below are some links to some excellent sources for maintaining & organizing your wardrobe:

• The 80/20 Rule…Sartorialized from AmandaLee.org: “Pare down. Get rid of anything that doesn’t fit your body, your lifestyle, or the climate where you live. Get rid of duplicates. Get rid of anything you haven’t worn in over a year, no matter how sentimental it might be or how much you want to fit into it again.”
• Build Your Wardrobe: Let’s Start at the Very Beginning from What I Wore: The perfect advice on what essential items to buy when you are attempting to begin building your wardrobe. This post is practical & offers a breakdown that newbies like myself can really appreciate.
• Do it Yourself Closet Organization Video: This video, although seemingly simplistic, really helps break down the steps necessary into organizing a closet. Watch it.
• How to Organize your Closet from Real Simple: Three easy steps, including creating a “grab & go” section of the clothing that you wear the most often. Smart. Why didn’t I think of that?

Hopefully now when I go shopping, I know what to buy & what not to buy. What about yourself? What do you find yourself being drawn to as far as clothing is concerned?

These new prints by Catherine Campell of My Folk Lover are so delightful it makes my heart ache just a little.
Yes, I realize that’s a touch melodramatic, but how much closer to perfection could these be?

Love the Alice in Wonderland theme she’s got going on.
You can see all the other new prints for sale on her Etsy or on her blog.